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THE    USURPER 

&n  lEptsotie  in  Japanese  l^t 

BY 

JUDITH     GAUTIER 


TRANSLATED    FROM    THE    FRENCH 

BY 
ABBY   LANGDON   ALGER 


BOSTON 
ROBERTS     BROTHERS 

1884 


Copyright,   1884, 
BY  ROBERTS  BROTHERS. 


SnibtntUn  frws: 
JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE. 


CONTENTS. 


I.  THE  LEMON  GROVE 1 

II.  NAGATO'S  WOUND 10 

III.  FEAST  OF  THE  SEA-GOD 24 

IV.  THE  SISTER  or  THE  SUN 34 

V.  THE  KNIGHTS  OF  HEAVEN 47 

VI.  THE  FRATERNITY  OF  BLIND  MEN 61 

VII.   PERJURY 73 

VIII.   THE  CASTLE  OF  OWARI 81 

IX.  THE  TEA-HOUSE 87 

X.  THE  TRYST 93 

XI.  THE  WARRIOR-QUAILS 99 

XII.  THE  WESTERN  ORCHARD 112 

XIII.  THE  MIKADO'S  THIRTY-THREE  DINNERS  .     .     .  125 

XIV.  THE  HAWKING-PARTY 130 

XV.  THE  USURPER 137 

XVI.  THE  FISHERMEN  OF  OSAKA  BAY 143 

XVII.  DRAGON-FLY  ISLAND  159 


2135S80 


iv  CONTENTS, 

CHAPTER  *AGE 

XVIII.  THE  PRINCIPALITY  OF  NAGATO 186 

XIX.  A  TOMB 214 

XX.  TUB  MESSENGERS 223 

XXI.  THE  KISAKI 247 

XXII.  THE  MIKADO 266 

XXIII.  FATKOURA 278 

XXIV.  THE  TREATY  OP  PEACE 290 

XXV.  CONFIDENCES 294 

XXVI.  THE  GREAT  THEATRE  or  OSAKA       ....  305 

XXVII.  OMITI    .    ..,.:., 317 

XXVIII.  HENCEFORTH  MY  HOUSE  SHALL  BE  AT  PEACE  .  337 

XXIX.  THE  HIGH-PRIESTESS  OF  THE  SUN    ....  343 

XXX.  BATTLES 350 

XXXI.  THE  FUNERAL  PILE  362 


THE    USURPER, 

AX    EPISODE    IN   JAPANESE    HISTORY. 
(1615.) 


CHAPTEK  I. 

THE    LEMON    GROVE. 

"VTIGHT  was  nearly  gone.  All  slept  in  the  beautiful 
-*-^  bright  city  of  Osaka.  The  harsh  cry  of  the  sen- 
tinels, calling  one  to  another  on  the  ramparts,  broke 
the  silence,  unruffled  otherwise  save  for  the  distant 
murmur  of  the  sea  as  it  swept  into  the  bay. 

Above  the  great  dark  mass  formed  by  the  palace  and 
gardens  of  the  Shogun1  a  star  was  fading  slowly.  Dawn 
trembled  in  the  air,  and  the  tree-tops  were  more  plainly 
outlined  against  the  sky,  which  grew  bluer  every  mo- 
ment. Soon  a  pale  glimmer  touched  the  highest  branches, 
slipped  between  the  boughs  and  their  leaves,  and  filtered 
downward  to  the  ground.  Then,  in  the  gardens  of  the 
Prince,  alleys  thick  with  brambles  displayed  their  dim 
perspective ;  the  grass  resumed  its  emerald  hue ;  a  tuft 
of  poppies  renewed  the  splendor  of  its  sumptuous  flowers, 
and  a  snowy  flight  of  steps  was  faintly  visible  through 
the  mist,  down  a  distant  avenue. 

1  Lord  of  the  kingdom.  This  is  the  same  title  as  Tycoon,  but 
the  latter  was*  not  created  till  1854. 

1 


2  THE   USURPER. 

At  last,  suddenly,  the  sky  grew  purple ;  arrows  of  light 
athwart  the  bushes  made  every  drop  of  water  on  the 
leaves  sparkle.  A  pheasant  alighted  heavily;  a  crane 
shook  her  white  wings,  and  with  a  long  cry  flew  slowly 
upwards ;  while  the  earth  smoked  like  a  caldron,  and 
the  birds  loudly  hailed  the  rising  sun. 

As  soon  as  the  divine  luminary  rose  from  the  horizon, 
the  sound  of  a  gong  was  heard.  It  was  struck  with  a 
monotonous  rhythm  of  overpowering  melancholy,  —  four 
heavy  strokes,  four  light  strokes ;  four  heavy  strokes, 
and  so  on.  It  was  the  salute  to  the  coming  day,  and 
the  call  to  morning  prayers. 

A  hearty  youthful  peal  of  laughter,  which  broke  forth 
suddenly,  drowned  these  pious  sounds  for  an  instant ;  and 
two  men  appeared,  dark  against  the  clear  sky,  at  the  top 
of  the  snowy  staircase.  They  paused  a  moment,  on  the 
uppermost  step,  to  admire  the  lovely  mass  of  brambles, 
ferns,  and  flowering  shrubs  which  wreathed  the  balustrade 
of  the  staircase.  Then  they  descended  slowly  through  the 
fantastic  shadows  cast  across  the  steps  by  the  branches. 
Reaching  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  .they  moved  quickly  aside, 
that  they  might  not  upset  a  tortoise  creeping  leisurely 
along  the  last  step.  This  tortoise's  sheHr  had  been  gilded, 
but  the  gilding  was  somewhat  tarnished  by  the  dampness 
of  the  grass.  The  two  men  moved  down  the  avenue. 

The  younger  of  the  pair  was  scarcely  twenty  years  old, 
but  would  have  passed  for  more,  from  the  proud  expres- 
sion of  his  face,  and  the  easy  confidence  of  his  glance. 
Still,  when  he  laughed,  he  seemed  a  child ;  but  he 
laughed  seldom,  and  a  sort  of  haughty  gloom  darkened 
his  noble  brow.  His  costume  was  very  simple.  Over  a 
robe  of  gray  crape  he  wore  a  mantle  of  blue  satin,  with- 
out any  embroidery.  He  carried  an  open  fan  in  his 
hand. 


THE    USURPER.  3 

His  comrade's  dress  was,  on  the  contrary,  very  elegant. 
His  robe  was  made  of  a  soft  white  silk,  just  tinged  with 
blue,  suggestive  of  reflected  moonlight.  It  fell  in  fine 
folds  to  his  feet,  and  was  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  girdle 
of  black  velvet.  The  wearer  was  twenty-four  years  old  ; 
he  was  a  specimen  of  perfect  beauty.  The  warm  pallor  of 
his  face,  his  mockingly  sweet  eyes,  and,  above  all,  the 
scornful  indifference  apparent  in  his  whole  person,  exer- 
cised a  strange  charm.  His  hand  rested  on  the  richly 
wrought  hilt  of  one  of  the  two  swords  whose  points  lifted 
up  the  folds  of  his  black  velvet  cloak,  the  loose  hanging 
sleeves  of  which  were  thrown  back  over  his  shoulders. 

The  two  friends  were  bare-headed  ;  their  hair,  twisted 
like  a  rope,  was  knotted  around  the  top  of  their  heads. 

"  But  where  are  you  taking  me,  gracious  master  1 " 
suddenly  cried  the  older  of  the  two  young  men. 

"  This  is  the  third  time  you  have  asked  that  question 
since  we  left  the  palace,  Iwakura." 

"  But  you  have  not  answered  once,  light  of  my  eyes !  " 

"  Well !  I  want  to  surprise  you.  Shut  your  eyes  and 
give  me  your  hand." 

Iwakura  obeyed,  and  his  companion  led  him  a  few  steps 
across  the  grass. 

"Now  look,"  he  said. 

Iwakura  opened  his  eyes,  and  uttered  a  low  cry  of 
astonishment. 

Before  him  stretched  a  lemon  grove  in  full  bloom. 
Every  tree  and  every  shrub  seemed  covered  with  hoar- 
frost ;  on  the  topmost  twigs  the  dawn  cast  tints  of  rose 
and  gold.  Every  branch  bent  beneath  its  perfumed  load ; 
the  clusters  of  flowers  hung  to  the  ground,  upon  which 
the  overburdened  boughs  trailed.  Amid  this  white 
wealth  which  gave  forth  a  delicious  odor,  a  few  tender 
green  leaves  were  occasionally  visible. 


4  THE   USURPER. 

"  See,"  said  the  younger  man  with  a  smile,  "  I  wanted 
to  share  with  you,  my  favorite  friend,  the  pleasure  of  this 
marvellous  sight  before  any  other  eye  rested  on  it.  I  was 
here  yesterday  :  the  grove  was  like  a  thicket  of  pearls  ; 
to-day  all  the  flowers  are  open." 

"  These  trees  remind  me  of  what  the  poet  says  of  peach- 
blossoms,"  said  Iwakura ;  "  only  here  the  snow-flakes  of 
butterflies'  wings  with  which  the  trees  are  covered  have 
not  turned  rose-colored  in  their  descent  from  heaven." 

"  Ah  !  "  cried  the  younger  man  sighing,  "  would  I 
might  plunge  into  the  midst  of  those  flowers  as  into 
a  bath,  and  intoxicate  myself  even  unto  death  with  their 
strong  perfume ! " 

Iwakura,  having  admired  them,  made  a  slightly  disap- 
pointed grimace. 

"  Far  more  beautiful  blossoms  were  about  to  open  in 
my  dream,"  said  he,  stifling  a  yawn.  "  Master,  why  did 
you  make  me  get  up  so  early  1 " 

"  Come,  Prince  of  Nagato,"  said  the  young  man,  laying 
his  hand  on  his  comrade's  shoulder,  "  confess.  I  did  not 
make  you  get  up,  for  you  did  not  go  to  bed  last  night." 

"  What  1 "  cried  Iwakura ;  "  what  makes  you  think 
so?" 

"  Your  pallor,  friend,  and  your  haggard  eyes." 

"  Am  I  not  always  so  1 " 

"  The  dress  you  wear  would  be  far  too  elegant  for  the 
hour  of  the  cock.1  And  see  !  the  sun  has  scarcely  risen ; 
we  have  only  reached  the  hour  of  the  rabbit."  8 

"  To  honor  such  a  master  as  you,  no  hour  is  too  early." 

"  Is  it  also  in  my  honor,  faithless  subject,  that  you 
appear  before  me  armed  1  Those  two  swords,  forgotten  in 
your  sash,  condemn  you ;  you  had  just  returned  to  the 
palace  when  I  summoned  you." 

1  Six  hours  after  noon.  2  Six  o'clock  in  the  morning. 


THE   USURPER.  5 

The  guilty  youth  hung  his  head,  not  attempting  to 
defend  himself. 

"  But  what  ails  your  arm  ? "  suddenly  cried  the  other, 
noticing  a  thin  white  bandage  wound  about  Iwakura's 
sleeve. 

The  latter  hid  his  arm  behind  him,  and  held  out  the 
other  hand.  t 

"  Nothing,"  he  said. 

But  his  companion  grasped  the  arm  which  he  concealed. 
The  Prince  of  Nagato  uttered  an  exclamation  of  pain. 

"  You  are  wounded,  eh  ?  One  of  these  days  I  shall 
hear  that  Nagato  has  been  killed  in  some  foolish  brawl. 
What  have  you  been  doing  now,  incorrigible  and  im- 
prudent fellow?" 

"  When  Hieyas,  the  regent,  comes  before  you,  you  will 
know  only  too  much  about  it,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  you 
will  hear  fine  things,  0  illustrious  friend,  in  regard  to  your 
unworthy  favorite.  Methinks  I  already  hear  the  sound 
of  the  terrible  voice  of  the  man  from  whom  nothing  is 
hid  :  '  Fide-Ybri,  ruler  of  Japan,  son  of  the  great  Taiko- 
Sama,  whose  memory  I  revere  !  grave  disorders  have  this 
night  troubled  Osaka.' " 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  mimicked  the  voice  of  Hieyas 
so  well  that  the  young  Shogun  could  not  repress  a 
smile. 

" '  And  what  are  these  disorders  1 '  you  will  say. 
'  Doors  broken  open,  blows,  tumults,  scandals.'  '  Are 
the  authors  of  these  misdeeds  known  ? '  '  The  leader 
of  the  riot  is  the  true  criminal,  and  I  know  him  well.' 
'  Who  is  he  1 '  '  Who  should  it  be  but  the  man  who 
takes  a  share  in  every  adventure,  every  nocturnal  brawl ; 
who,  but  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  the  terror  of  honest 
families,  the  dread  of  peaceful  men  ] '  And  then  you  will 
pardon  me,  0  too  merciful  man !  Hieyas  will  reproach 


6  THE    USURPER. 

you  with  your  weakness,  dwelling  upon  it,  that  this  weak- 
ness may  redound  to  the  injury  of  the  Shogun  and  the 
profit  of  the  Kegent." 

"  What  if  I  lose  patience  at  last,  Nagato,"  said  the 
Shogun  ;  "  what  if  I  exile  you  to  your  own  province  for 
a  year1?" 

"  I  should  go,  master,  without  a  murmur." 

"  Yes  ;  and  who  would  be  left  to  love  me  1 "  said  Fide- 
Yori,  sadly.  "  I  am  surrounded  by  devotion,  not  by  affec- 
tion like  yours.  But  perhaps  I  am  unjust,"  he  added; 
"you  are  the  only  one  I  love,  and  doubtless  that  is  why  I 
think  no  one  loves  me  but  you." 

Nagato  raised  his  eyes  gratefully  to  the  Prince. 

"  You  feel  that  you  are  forgiven,  don't  you  1 "  said  Fide- 
Yori,  smiling.  "But  try  to  spare  me  the  Regent's  re- 
proaches ;  you  know  how  painful  they  are  to  me.  Go 
and  salute  him  ;  the  hour  of  his  levee  is  at  hand  ;  we  will 
meet  again  in  the  council." 

"Must  I  smile  upon  that  ugly  creature1?"  grumbled 
Nagato. 

But  he  had  his  dismissal ;  he  saluted  the  Shogun,  and 
moved  away  with  a  sulky  air. 

Fide-Yori  continued  his  walk  along  the  avenue,  but  soon 
returned  to  the  lemon  grove.  He  paused  to  admire  it 
once  more,  and  plucked  a  slender  twig  loaded  with 
flowers.  But  just  then  the  foliage  rustled  as  if  blown 
by  a  strong  breeze ;  an  abrupt  movement  stirred  the 
branches,  and  a  young  girl  appeared  among  the  blossoms. 

The  Shogun  started  violently,  and  almost  uttered  a  cry  ; 
he  fancied  himself  the  prey  to  some  hallucination. 

"  Who  are  you  1 "  he  exclaimed ;  "  perhaps  the  guardian 
spirit  of  this  grove  1 " 

"  Oh,  no,"  said  the  girl  in  a  trembling  voice  j  "  but  I  am 
a  very  bold  woman." 


THE    USURPER.  7 

She  issued  from  the  grove  amidst  a  shower  of  snowy 
petals,  and  knelt  on  the  grass,  stretching  out  her  hands  to 
the  King. 

Fide-Yori  bent  his  head  toward  her,  and  gazed  curiously 
at  her.  She  was  of  exquisite  beauty,  —  small,  graceful, 
apparently  weighed  down  by  the  amplitude  of  her  robes. 
It  seemed  as  if  their  silken  weight  bore  her  to  her  knees. 
Her  large  innocent  eyes,  like  the  eyes  of  a  child,  were 
timid  and  full  of  entreaty ;  her  cheeks,  velvety  as  a 
butterfly's  wings,  were  tinged  with  a  slight  blush,  and  her 
small  mouth,  half  open  in  admiration,  revealed  teeth 
white  as  drops  of  milk. 

"  Forgive  me,"  she  exclaimed,  "  forgive  me  -for  appear- 
ing before  you  without  your  express  command." 

"  I  forgive  you,  poor  trembling  bird,"  said  Fide-Yori, 
"for  had  I  known  you  and  known  your  desire,  my  wish 
would  have  been  to  see  you.  What  can  I  do  for  you  1  Is 
it  in  my  power  to  make  you  happy  ? " 

"  Oh,  master !  "  eagerly  cried  the  girl,  "  with  one  word 
you  can  make  me  more  radiant  than  Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin, 
the  daughter  of  the  Sun." 

"  And  what  is  that  word  1 " 

"  Swear  that  you  will  not  go  to-morrow  to  the  feast  of 
the  God  of  the  Sea." 

"  Why  this  oath  1 "  said  the  Shogun,  amazed  at  this 
strange  request. 

"  Because,"  said  the  young  girl,  shuddering,  "  a  bridge 
will  give  way  beneath  the  King's  feet ;  and  when  night 
falls,  Japan  will  be  without  a  ruler." 

"  I  suppose  you  have  discovered  a  conspiracy  1 "  said 
Fide-Yori,  smiling. 

At  this  incredulous  smile  the  girl  turned  pale,  and  her 
eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"  0  pure  disk  of  light !  "  she  cried,  "  he  does  not  believe 


8  THE   USURPER. 

me !  All  that  I  have  hitherto  accomplished  is  in  vain  ! 
This  is  a  dreadful  obstacle,  of  which  I  never  dreamed. 
You  hearken  to  the  voice  of  the  cricket  which  prophesies 
heat ;  you  listen  to  the  frog  who  croaks  a  promise  of  rain  ; 
but  a  young  girl  who  cries,  '  Take  care  !  I  have  seen  the 
trap  !  death  is  on  your  path  ! '  you  pay  no  heed  to  her,  but 
plunge  headlong  into  the  snare.  But  it  must  not  be ; 
you  must  believe  me.  Shall  I  kill  myself  at  your  feet  1 
My  death  might  be  a  pledge  of  my  sincerity.  Besides,  if 
I  have  been  deceived,  what  matters  it  1  You  can  easily  ab- 
sent yourself  from  the  feast.  Hear  me  !  I  come  a  long  way, 
from  a  distant  province.  Alone  with  the  dull  anguish  of 
my  secret,  I  outwitted  the  most  subtle  spies,  I  conquered 
my  terrors  and  overcame  my  weakness.  My  father  thinks 
me  gone  on  a  pilgrimage  to  Kioto ;  and,  you  see,  I  am  in 
your  city,  in  the  grounds  of  your  palace.  And  yet  the 
sentinels  are  watchful,  the  moats  are  broad,  the  walls  high. 
See,  my  hands  are  bleeding;  I  burn  with  fever.  Just 
now  I  feared  I  could  not  speak,  my  weary  heart  throbbed 
so  violently  at  sight  of  you  and  with  the  joy  of  saving 
you.  But  now  I  am  dizzy,  my  blood  has  turned  to 
ice  :  you  do  not  believe  me." 

"  I  believe  you,  and  I  swear  to  obey  you,"  said  the  king, 
touched  by  her  accent  of  despair.  "  I  will  not  go  to  the 
feast  of  the  God  of  the  Sea." 

The  young  girl  uttered  a  cry  of  delight,  and  gazed  with 
gratitude  at  the  sun  as  it  rose  above  the  trees. 

"  But  tell  me  how  you  discovered  this  plot,"  continued 
the  Shogun,  "  and  who  are  its  authors  1 " 

"  Oh !  do  not  order  me  to  tell  you.  The  whole  edifice  of 
infamy  that  I  overthrow  would  fall  upon  my  own  head." 

"  So  be  it,  my  child  ;  keep  your  secret.  But  at  least  tell 
me  whence  comes  this  great  devotion,  and  why  is  my  life 
so  precious  to  you  1 " 


THE    USURPER.  9 

The  girl  slowly  raised  her  eyes  to  the  King,  then  looked 
down  and  blushed,  but  did  not  reply.  A  vague  emotion 
troubled  the  heart  of  the  Prince.  He  was  silent,  and 
yielded  to  the  sweet  sensation.  He  would  fain  have  re- 
mained thus,  in  silence,  amidst  these  bird  songs,  these 
perfumes,  beside  this  kneeling  maiden. 

"  Tell  me  who  you  are,  you  who  have  saved  me  from 
death,"  he  asked  at  last ;  "  and  tell  me  what  reward  I  can 
give  you  worthy  of  your  courage." 

"  My  name  is  Omiti,"  said  the  young  girl ;  "  I  can  tell 
you  nothing  more.  Give  me  the  flower  that  you  hold  in 
your  hand ;  it  is  all  I  would  have  from  you." 

Fide-Yori  offered  her  the  lemon  twig ;  Omiti  seized  it, 
and  fled  through  the  grove. 

The  Shogun  stood  rooted  to  the  spot  for  some  time, 
lost  in  thought,  gazing  at  the  turf  pressed  by  the  light 
foot  of  Omiti. 


10  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER   II. 

NAGATO'S  WOUND. 

THE  Prince  of  Nagato  had  returned  to  his  palace. 
He  slept  stretched  out  on  a  pile  of  fine  mats ;  around 
him  was  almost  total  darkness,  for  the  blinds  had  been 
lowered,  and  large  screens  spread  before  the  windows. 
Here  and  there  a  black  lacquer  panel  shone  in  the  shadow 
and  reflected  dimly,  like  a  dull  mirror,  the  pale  face  of 
the  Prince  as  he  lay  on  his  cushions. 

Nagato  had  not  succeeded  in  seeing  Hieyas :  he  was 
told  that  the  Kegent  was  engaged  with  very  impor- 
tant business.  Pleased  at  the  chance,  the  young  Prince 
hurried  home  to  rest  for  a  few  hours  before  the 
council. 

In  the  chambers  adjoining  the  one  in  which  he  slept 
servants  came  and  went  silently,  preparing  their  master's 
toilette.  They  walked  cautiously,  that  the  floor  might 
not  creak,  and  talked  together  in  low  tones. 

"  Our  poor  master  knows  no  moderation,"  said  an  old 
woman,  scattering  drops  of  perfume  over  a  court  cloak. 
"  Continual  feasting  and  nightly  revels,  —  never  any  rest ; 
he  will  kill  himself." 

"  Oh,  no  !  pleasure  does  not  kill,"  said  an  impudent- 
looking  boy,  dressed  in  gay  colors. 

"What  do  you  know  about  it,  imp?"  replied  the 
woman.  "  Would  n't  you  think  the  brat  spent  his  life  in 


THE    USURPER.  11 

enjoyment  like  a  lord  1  Don't  talk  so  boldly  about  things 
you  know  nothing  of  !  " 

"  Perhaps  I  know  more  about  them  than  you  do," 
said  the  child,  making  a  wry  face ;  "  you  have  n't  got 
married  yet,  for  all  your  great  age  and  your  great 
beauty." 

The  woman  threw  the  contents  of  her  flask  in  the  boy's 
face ;  but  he  hid  behind  the  silver  disk  of  a  mirror  which 
he  was  polishing,  and  the  perfume  fell  to  the  ground. 
When  the  danger  was  over,  out  popped  his  head. 

"Will  you  have  me  for  a  husband1?"  he  cried;  "you 
can  spare  me  a  few  of  your  years,  and  between  us  we  '11 
make  but  a  young  couple." 

The  woman,  in  her  rage,  gave  a  sharp  scream. 

"  Will  you  be  quiet  1 "  said  another  servant,  threatening 
her  with  his  fist. 

"  But  who  could  listen  to  that  young  scamp  without 
blushing  and  losing  her  temper  1 " 

"Blush  as  much  as  you  like,"  said  the  child;  "  that 
won't  make  any  noise." 

"  Come,  Loo,  be  quiet !  "  said  the  servant. 

Loo  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  made  a  face,  then  went 
on  listlessly  rubbing  his  mirror. 

At  this  instant  a  man  entered  the  room. 

"  I  must  speak  to  Iwakura,  Prince  of  Nagato,"  he 
cried  aloud. 

All  the  servants  made  violent  signs  to  impose  si- 
lence on  the  new-comer.  Loo  rushed  towards  him  and 
stopped  his  mouth  with  the  rag  with  which  he  was 
polishing  the  mirror ;  but  the  man  pushed  him  roughly 
away. 

"What  does  all  this  mean1!"  he  said.  "Are  you 
crazy]  I  want  to  speak  to  the  lord  whom  you  serve, 
the  very  illustrious  daimio  who  rules  over  the  province 


12  THE   USURPER. 

of  Nagato.     Go   and  tell  him,   and   stop  your  monkey 
tricks." 

"  He  is  asleep,"  whispered  a  servant. 

"  We  cannot  wake  him,"  said  another. 

"  He  is  frightfully  tired,"  said  Loo,  with  his  finger  on 
his  lip. 

"  Tired  or  not,  he  will  rejoice  at  my  coming,"  said  the 
stranger. 

"  We  were  ordered  not  to  wake  him  until  a  few  mo- 
ments before  the  hour  for  the  council,"  said  the  old  woman. 

"  I  sha'n't  take  the  risk  of  rousing  him,"  said  Loo, 
drawing  his  mouth  to  one  side. 

"  Nor  I,"  said  the  old  woman. 

"  I  will  go  myself,  if  you  like,"  said  the  messenger ; 
"moreover,  the  hour  of  the  council  is  close  at  hand. 
I  just  saw  the  Prince  of  Arima  on  his  way  to  the  Hall 
of  a  Thousand  Mats." 

"  The  Prince  of  Arima  !  "  cried  Loo ;  "and  he  is  always 
late ! " 

"  Alas  ! "  said  the  old  woman  ;  "  shall  we  have  time  to 
dress  our  master  1 " 

Loo  pushed  aside  a  sliding  partition  and  opened  a  narrow 
passage ;  he  then  softly  entered  Nagato's  bedroom.  It 
was  cool  within,  and  a  delicate  odor  of  camphor  filled 
the  air. 

"  Master  !  master !  "  said  Loo  in  a  loud  voice,  "  the  hour 
has  come  ;  and  besides  there  is  a  messenger  here." 

"A  messenger !  "  cried  Nagato,  raising  himself  on  one 
elbow  ;  "  what  does  he  look  like  1 " 

"He  is  dressed  like  a  samurai : x  he  has  two- swords  in 
his  sash." 

"  Let  him  come  in  at  once,"  said  the  Prince,  in  a 
tone  of  agitation. 

1  Noble  officer  in  the  service  of  a  daimio  or  prince. 


THE    USURPER.  13 

Loo  beckoned  to  the  messenger,  who  prostrated  him- 
self on  the  threshold  of  the  room. 

"  Approach  !  "  said  Nagato. 

But  the  messenger  being  unable  to  see  in  the  dark  hall, 
Loo  folded  back  one  leaf  of  a  screen  which  intercepted 
the  light.  A  broad  baud  of  sunshine  entered  ;  it  lighted 
up  the  delicate  texture  of  the  matting  which  covered  the 
wall  and  glistened  on  a  silver  stork  with  sinuous  neck 
and  spread  wings,  hanging  against  it. 

The  messenger  approached  the  Prince  and  offered  him 
a  slender  roll  of  paper  wrapped  in  silk  ;  then  he  left  the 
room  backwards. 

Nagato  hastily  unrolled  the  paper,  and  read  as  follows  : 

"You  have  been  here,  illustrious  one,  I  know  it  !  But  why  this 
madness,  and  why  this  mystery  ?  I  cannot  understand  your  actions. 
I  have  received  severe  reprimands  from  my  sovereign  on  your  account. 
As  you  know,  I  was  passing  through  the  gardens,  escorting  her  to 
her  palace,  when  all  at  once  I  saw  you  leaning  against  a  tree.  I 
could  not  repress  an  exclamation,  and  at  my  cry  she  turned  towards 
me  and  followed  the  direction  of  my  eyes.  '  Ah  ! '  she  said,  '  it  is 
the  sight  of  Nagato  that  draws  such  cries  from  you.  Could  you  not 
stifle  them,  and  at  least  spare  me  the  sight  of  your  immodest  con- 
duct ? '  Then  she  turned  and  looked  at  you  several  times.  The 
anger  in  her  eyes  alarmed  me.  I  dare  not  appear  before  her  to- 
morrow, and  I  send  you  this  message  to  beg  you  not  to  repeat  these 
strange  visits,  which  have  such  fatal  consequences  to  me.  Alas  ! 
do  you  not  know  that  I  love  you,  and  need  I  repeat  it  ?  I  will  be 
your  wife  whenever  you  wish ....  But  it  pleases  you  to  adore  me 
as  if  I  were  an  idol  in  the  pagoda  of  the  Thirty -three  thousand  three 
hundred  and  thirty-three.1  If  you  had  not  risked  your  life  repeat- 
edly to  see  me,  I  should  think  you  were  mocking  me.  I  entreat 
you,  expose  ine  to  no  more  such  reproofs,  and  do  not  forget  that  I 
am  ready  to  recognize  you  as  my  lord  and  master,  and  that  to  live 
by  your  side  is  my  dearest  desire." 

Nagato  smiled  and  slowly  closed  the  roll ;  he  fixed  his 
1  Temple  at  Kioto  containing  33,333  idols. 


14  THE   USURPER. 

eyes  upon  the  streak  of  light  cast  on  the  floor  from  the 
window,  and  seemed  lost  in  deep  re  very. 

Little  Loo  was  greatly  disappointed.  He  had  tried  to 
read  over  his  master's  shoulder ;  but  the  roll  was  written 
in  Chinese  characters,  and  his  knowledge  fell  short  of  that. 
He  was  quite  familiar  with  the  Kata-Kana,  and  even  knew 
something  of  Hira-Kana ;  but  unfortunately  was  entirely 
ignorant  of  Chinese  writing.  To  hide  his  vexation,  he 
went  to  the  window  and  lifting  one  corner  of  the  blind, 
looked  out. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  said,  "  the  Prince  of  Satsuma  and  the  Prince 
of  Aki  arrive  together,  and  their  followers  look  askance  at 
one  another.  Ah  !  Satsuma  takes  precedence.  Oh  !  oh  ! 
there  goes  the  Regent  down  the  avenue.  He  glances  this 
way,  and  laughs  when  he  sees  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  suite 
still  standing  at  the  door.  He  would  laugh  far  louder  if 
he  knew  how  little  progress  my  master  had  made  in  his 
toilet." 

"  Let  him  laugh,  Loo !  and  come  here,"  said  the  Prince, 
who  had  taken  a  pencil  and  roll  of  paper  from  his  girdle 
and  hastily  written  a  few  words.  "  Run  to  the  palace  and 
give  this  to  the  King." 

Loo  set  off  as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him,  pushing 
and  jostling  those  who  came  in  his  way  to  his  utmost. 

"  And  now,"  said  Iwakura,  "  dress  me  quickly." 

His  servants  clustered  about  him,  and  the  Prince  was 
soon  arrayed  in  the  broad  trailing  trousers  which  make 
the  wearer  look  as  if  he  were  walking  on  his  knees,  and 
the  stiff  ceremonial  mantle,  made  still  more  heavy  by  the 
crest  embroidered  on  its  sleeves.  The  arms  of  Nagato 
consisted  of  a  black  bolt  surmounting  three  balls  in  the 
form  of  a  pyramid. 

The  young  man,  usually  so  careful  of  his  dress,  paid 
no  attention  to  the  work  of  his  servants ;  he  did  not  even 


THE    USURPER.  15 

glance  at  the  mirror  so  well  polished  by  Loo,  when  the 
high  pointed  cap,  tied  by  golden  ribbons,  was  placed  on 
his  head. 

As  soon  as  his  toilette  was  complete  he  left  the  palace ; 
but  so  great  was  his  abstraction  that,  instead  of  getting 
into  the  norimono  awaiting  him  in  the  midst  of  his  escort, 
he  set  off  on  foot,  dragging  his  huge  pantaloons  in  the 
sand,  and  exposing  himself  to  the  rays  of  the  sun.  His 
suite,  terrified  at  this  breach  of  etiquette,  followed  in 
utter  disorder,  while  the  spies  ordered  to  watch  the 
actions  of  the  Prince  hastened  to  report  this  extraordinary 
occurrence  to  their  various  masters. 

The  ramparts  of  the  royal  residence  at  Osaka,  thick, 
lofty  walls  flanked  at  intervals  by  a  semicircular  bastion, 
form  a  huge  square,  which  encloses  several  palaces  and  vast 
gardens.  To  the  south  and  west  the  fortress  is  sheltered 
by  the  city ;  on  the  north  the  river  which  flows  through 
Osaka  widens,  and  forms  an  immense  moat  at  the  foot  of 
the  rampart ;  on  the  east,  a  narrower  stream  bounds  it. 
On  the  platform  of  the  walls  grows  a  row  of  centenarian 
cedars  of  a  sombre  verdure,  their  level  branches  project- 
ing horizontally  across  the  battlements.  Within,  a  second 
wall,  preceded  by  a  moat,  encloses  the  parks  and  palaces 
reserved  for  the  princes  and  their  families.  Between  this 
wall  and  the  ramparts  lie  the  houses  of  soldiers  and  offi- 
cials. A  third  wall  surrounds  the  private  palace  of  the 
Shogun,  built  upon  a  hill.  This  building  is  of  simple 
but  noble  design.  Square  towers  with  roof  upon  roof 
rise  here  and  there  from  the  general  mass.  Marble  stair- 
ways, bordered  by  slender  lacquer  railings,  and  decorated 
at  the  foot  by  bronze  monsters  or  huge  pottery  vases, 
lead  to  the  outer  galleries.  The  terrace  before  the 
palace  is  covered  with  gravel  and  white  sand  which 
reflects  back  the  splendor  of  the  sun. 


16  THE    USURPER. 

In  the  centre  of  the  edifice  stands  a  large,  lofty,  and 
magnificently  ornate  square  tower.  It  supports  seven 
roofs,  whose  angles  are  bent  upward ;  on  the  topmost  roof 
two  enormous  goldfish1  writhe  and  twist,  glittering  so 
that  they  may  be  seen  from  every  point  of  the  city. 

In  that  part  of  the  palace  nearest  to  this  tower  is  the 
Hall  of  a  Thousand  Mats,  the  meeting-place  for  the 
Council. 

The  lords  arrived  from  all  directions,  climbed  the  hill, 
and  moved  towards  the  central  portico  of  the  palace, 
which  opens  upon  a  long  gallery  leading  directly  into  the 
Hall  of  a  Thousand  Mats. 

This  lofty,  spacious  hall  is  entirely  bare  of  furniture. 
Movable  partitions  sliding  in  grooves  intersect  it  and, 
when  closed,  form  compartments  of  various  sizes.  But 
the  partitions  are  always  opened  wide  in  such  a  way  as  to 
produce  agreeable  effects  of  perspective.  The  panels  in 
one  compartment  are  covered  with  black  lacquer  decorated 
in  gold,  in  another  of  red  lacquer  or  of  Jeseri  wood,  the 
veins  of  which  form  natural  and  pleasing  designs.  Here, 
the  screen,  painted  by  a  famous  artist,  is  lined  with  white 
satin  heavily  embroidered  with  flowers ;  there,  on  a  dead 
gold  ground,  a  peach-tree  loaded  with  its  pink  blossoms 
spreads  its  gnarled  branches ;  or  perhaps  merely  an  irregu- 
lar sprinkling  of  black,  red,  and  white  dots  on  dark  wood 
dazzles  the  eye.  The  mats  which  cover  the  floor  are  snow 
white,  and  fringed  with  silver. 

The  nobles,  with  their  loose  pantaloons  falling  below 
their  feet,  seem  to  move  forward  on  their  knees,  and  their 
robes  brush  the  mats  with  a  continuous  sound,  like  the 
murmur  of  a  waterfall.  The  spectators,  moreover,  pre- 
serve a  religious  silence.  The  Hattamotos,  members  of  an 

1  These  fish  actually  exist,  and  are  valued  at  an  immense  sum, 
many  placing  it  as  high  as  a  million  dollars. 


THE    USURPER.  17 

order  of  nobility  recently  instituted  by  the  Regent,  crouch 
in  the  farthest  corners,  while  the  Samurais,  of  ancient 
lineage,  owners  of  fiefs  and  vassals  of  princes,  pass  these 
newly  made  taobles  by. with  scornful  glances,  and  come 
perceptibly  closer  to  the  great  drawn  curtain  veiling  the 
platform  reserved  for  the  Shogun.  The  Lords  of  the  Earth, 
princes  supreme  in  their  own  provinces,  form  a  wide  circle 
before  the  throne,  leaving  a  fi'ee  space  for  the  thirteen 
members  of  the  Council. 

The  councillors  soon  arrive.  They  salute  each  other, 
and  exchange  a  few  words  in  low  voices ;  then  take  their 
places. 

On  the  left,  presenting  their  profile  to  the  drawn  cur- 
tain, are  the  superior  councillors.  They  are  five  in 
number,  but  only  four  are  present.  The  nearest  to  the 
throne  is  the  Prince  of  Satsuma,  a  venerable  old  man  with 
a  long  face  full  of  kindness.  Next  to  him  is  spread  the 
mat  of  the  absentee.  Then  comes  the  Prince  of  Sataka, 
who  bites  his  lip  as  he  carefully  arranges  the  folds  of  his 
robe.  He  is  young,  dark-skinned,  and  his  jet  black  eyes 
twinkle  strangely.  Next  to  him  is  established  the  Prince 
of  Ouesougi,  a  fat  and  listless-looking  man.  The  last  is 
the  Prince  of  Isida,  a  short,  ugly-faced  fellow. 

The  eight  inferior  councillors  crouching  opposite  the 
throne  are  the  princes  of  Arima,  Figo,  Wakasa,  Aki,  Tosa, 
Ise,  and  Coroda. 

A  stir  is  heard  in  the  direction  of  the  entrance,  and 
every  head  is  bent  to  the  ground.  The  Regent  advances 
into  the  hall.  He  moves  rapidly,  not  being  embarrassed, 
like  the  princes,  by  the  folds  of  his  trailing  trousers,  and 
seats  himself,  cross-leggecl,  on  a  pile  of  mats  to  the  right 
of  the  throne. 

Hieyas  was  at  this  time  an  old  man.  His  back  was 
slightly  bent,  but  he  was  broad-shouldered  and  muscular. 

2 


18  THE    USURPER. 

His  head,  entirely  shaven,  revealed  a  high  forehead,  with 
prominent  eyebrows.  His  thin  lips,  cruel  and  obstinate 
in  expression,  were  deeply  marked  at  the  corners  with 
downward  wrinkles.  His  cheek-bones  were  extremely 
marked,  and  his  prominent  eyes  flashed  forth  abrupt  and 
insincere  glances. 

As  he  entered,  he  cast  an  evil  look,  accompanied  by  a 
half-smile,  towards  the  vacant  place  of  the  Prince  of  Na- 
gato.  But  when  the  curtain  rose,  the  Shogun  appeared, 
leaning  with  one  hand  on  the  shoulder  of  his  youthful 
councillor. 

The  Regent  frowned. 

All  the  spectators  prostrated  themselves,  pressing  their 
foreheads  on  the  ground.  When  they  rose,  the  Prince  of 
Nagato  had  taken  his  place  with  the  rest. 

Fide-Yori  seated  himself,  and  motioned  to  Hieyas  that 
he  might  speak. 

Then  the  Regent  read  various  unimportant  reports,  — 
nominations  of  magistrates,  movements  of  the  troops  on 
the  frontier,  the  change  of  residence  of  a  governor  whose 
term  had  expired.  Hieyas  explained  briefly  and  volubly 
the  reasons  which  had  actuated  him.  The  councillors 
ran  their  eyes  over  the  manuscripts,  and  having  no  objec- 
tion to  make,  acquiesced  by  a  gesture.  But  soon  the 
Regent  folded  all  these  papers  and  handed  them  to  a  sec- 
retary stationed  near  him ;  then  resumed  his  speech,  after 
first  coughing  :  — 

"  I  called  this  special  meeting  to-day,"  he  said,  "  that 
its  members  might  share  the  fears  which  I  have  conceived 
for  the  tranquillity  of  the  kingdom,  on  learning  that  the 
severe  supervision  ordered  over  the  European  bonzes  and 
such  Japanese  as  have  embraced  their  strange  doctrine, 
are  strangely  relaxed,  and  that  they  have  resumed 
their  dangerous  intrigues  against  the  public  peace.  I 


THE    USURPER.  19 

therefore  demand  the  enforcement  of  the  law  decreeing 
the  extermination  of  all  Christians." 

A  singular  uproar  arose  in  the  assembly,  —  a  mixture 
of  approval,  surprise,  cries  of  horror  and  of  anger. 

"  Would  you  witness  a  renewal  of  the  hideous  and 
bloody  scenes  whose  terror  still  lingers  in  our  minds  1 " 
cried  the  Prince  of  Sataka  with  his  wonted  animation. 

"  It  is  odd  to  affirm  that  poor  people  who  preach  noth- 
ing but  virtue  and  concord  can  disturb  the  peace  of 
an  empire,"  said  Nagato. 

"  The  Daimio  speaks  well,"  said  the  Prince  of  Satsuma ; 
"  it  is  impossible  for  the  bonzes  of  Europe  to  have  any 
effect  upon  the  tranquillity  of  the  kingdom.  It  is  there- 
fore useless  to  disturb  them." 

But  Hieyas  addressed  himself  directly  to  Fide-Yori. 

"  Master,"  said  he,  "since  no  one  will  share  my  anxiety, 
I  must  inform  you  that  a  dreadful  rumor  is  beginning  to 
circulate  among  the  nobles  and  among  the  people." 

He  paused  a  moment,  to  add  solemnity  to  his  words. 

"It  is  said  that  he  who  is  still  under  my  guardianship, 
the  future  ruler  of  Japan,  our  gracious  lord,  Fide-Yori, 
has  embraced  the  Christian  faith." 

An  impressive  silence  followed  these  words.  The  spec- 
tators exchanged  glances  which  said  clearly  that  they  had 
heard  the  report,  which  might  have  a  solid  basis. 

Fide-Yori  took  up  the  word. 

"And  should  a  calumny  spread  by  ill-intentioned  per- 
sons be  avenged  upon  the  innocent  1  I  command  that 
the  Christians  shall  not  be  molested  in  any  way.  My 
father,  I  regret  it,  thought  it  his  duty  to  pursue  with 
his  wrath  and  to  exterminate  those  unhappy  men ; 
but  I  swear,  while  I  live,  not  one  drop  of  their  blood 
shall  be  shed." 

Hieyas  was  stupefied  by  the  resolute  accent  of  the 


20  THE   USURPER. 

young  Shogun  ;  for  the  first  time  he  spoke  as  a  master, 
and  commanded.  He  bowed  in  sign  of  submission, 
and  made  no  objection.  Fide-Yori  had  attained  his 
majority,  and  if  he  was  not  yet  proclaimed  Shogun  it  was 
because  Hieyas  was  in  no  haste  to  lay  down  his  power. 
He  did  not,  therefore,  wish  to  enter  into  open  strife  with 
his  ward.  He  set  the  question  aside  for  the  time  being, 
and  passed  to  something  else. 

"  I  am  told,"  he  said,  "  that  a  nobleman  was  attacked 
and  wounded  last  night  on  the  Kioto  road.  I  do  not 
yet  know  the  name  of  this  noble  ;  but  perhaps  the  Prince 
of  Nagato,  who  was  at  Kioto  last  night,  heard  something 
of  this  adventure?" 

"  Ah !  you  know  that  I  was  at  Kioto,"  muttered  the 
Prince  ;  "  then  I  understand  why  there  were  assassins  on 
my  path." 

"  How  could  Nagato  be  at  Osaka  and  at  Kioto  at  one 
and  the  same  time  ? "  asked  the  Prince  of  Sataka.  "  There 
is  nothing  talked  of  this  morning  but  the  water-party 
which  he  gave  last  night,  and  which  ended  so  merrily 
with  a  fight  between  the  lords  and  the  sailors  from  the 
shore." 

"  I  even  got  a  scratch  in  the  squabble,"  said  Nagato, 
smiling. 

"  The  Prince  traverses  in  a  few  hours  distances  that 
others  would  take  a  day  to  go  over,"  said  Hieyas ;  "  that 's 
all.  Only,  he  does  not  spare  his  horses ;  every  time  he 
comes  back  to  the  palace,  his  animal  falls  down  dead." 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  turned  pale,  and  felt  for  the 
sword  missing  from  his  girdle. 

"  I  did  not  suppose  that  your  anxious  care  extended 
even  to  the  beasts  of  the  kingdom,"  said  he,  with  an 
insolent  irony.  "  I  thank  you  in  the  name  of  my 
dead  horses." 


THE   USURPER.  21 

The  Shogun,  full  of  alarm,  cast  supplicating  glances 
at  Nagato.  But  it  seemed  as  if  the  Regent's  patience 
were  proof  against  all  trials  to-day.  He  smiled  and  made 
no  reply. 

However,  Fide-Yori  saw  that  anger  smouldered  in  his 
friend's  soul ;  and  dreading  some  fresh  outburst,  he  put 
an  end  to  the  council  by  withdrawing. 

Almost  immediately  one  of  the  palace  guards  informed 
the  Prince  of  Nagato  that  the  Shogun  was  asking  for  him. 
The  Prince  said  a  pleasant  word  to  several  nobles,  bowed 
to  the  rest,  and  left  the  hall  without  turning  his  head  in 
the  direction  of  Hieyas. 

When  he  reached  the  apartments  of  the  Shogun,  he 
heard  a  woman's  voice,  petulant,  and  at  the  same  time 
complaining.  He  caught  his  own  name. 

"  I  have  heard  all,"  said  the  voice,  — "  your  refusal  to 
accede  to  the  wishes  of  the  Regent,  whom  you  suffered  to 
be  insulted  before  your  very  eyes  by  the  Prince  of  Nagato, 
whose  impudence  is  truly  incomparable;  and  the  rare 
patience  of  Hieyas,  who  did  not  take  up  the  insult  from 
respect  for  you,  from  pity  for  him  whom  you  believe  to 
be  your  friend,  in  your  ignorance  of  men." 

Nagato  recognized  the  speaker  as  the  Shogun's  mother, 
the  beautiful  and  haughty  Yodogimi. 

" Mother,"  said  the  Shogun,  "turn  your  thoughts  to 
embroidery  and  dress  :  that  is  woman's  sphere." 

Nagato  entered  hurriedly,  that  he  might  not  longer  be 
an  unsuspected  listener. 

"My  gracious  master  asked  for  me,"  he  said.  Yodo- 
gimi turned  and  blushed  slightly  on  seeing  the  Prince,  who 
bowed  low  before  her. 

"  I  have  something  to  say  to  you,"  said  the  Shogun. 

"  Then  I  will  retire,"  said  Yodogimi  bitterly,  "  and  go 
back  to  my  embroidery." 


22  THE   USURPER. 

She  crossed  the  room  slowly,  rustling  her  trailing  silken 
robes,  and  casting  as  she  went  out  a  singular  look  at  Na- 
gato,  compounded  of  coquetry  and  hate. 

"  You  heard  my  mother,"  said  Fide-Yori. 

"  Yes,"  said  Nagato. 

"Every  one  is  anxious  to  detach  me  from  you,  my  friend: 
what  can  be  their  motive  ] " 

"  Your  mother  is  blinded  by  some  calumny,  "  said  the 
Prince;  "the  others  see  in  me  a  clear-sighted  foe,  who 
can  outwit  the  plots  which  they  contrive  against  you." 

"  It  was  of  a  plot  I  wished  to  speak  to  you." 

"  Against  your  life  1" 

"  Precisely.  It  was  revealed  to  me  in  a  strange  fash- 
ion, and  I  can  scarcely  credit  it ;  yet  I  cannot  resist  a 
certain  feeling  of  uneasiness.  To-morrow,  at  the  feast  of 
the  God  of  the  Sea,  a  bridge  will  give  way  beneath  me." 

"  Horrible  !  "  cried  Nagato.     "  Do  not  go  to  the  feast." 

"If  I  stay  away,"  said  Fide-Yori,  "I  shall  never  know 
the  truth,  for  the  plot  will  not  be  carried  out.  But  if  I 
go  to  the  feast,"  he  added  with  a  smile,  "  if  the  conspiracy 
really  exist,  the  truth  would  be  somewhat  difficult  of 
proof." 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  Nagato.  "  Still,  our  doubts  must  be 
set  at  rest ;  some  means  must  be  found.  Is  your  route 
fixed?" 

"Hieyas  has  arranged  it." 

Fide-Yori  took  a  roll  of  paper  from  a  low  table  and 
read  : — 

"  Yedogava  Quay,  Fishmarket  Square,  Sycamore  Street,  seashore. 
Return  by  Bamboo  Hill  and  Swallow  bridge. 

"The  wretches !"  cried  Iwakura;  "that  is  the  bridge 
swung  across  the  valley  !  " 

"The  place  would  be  well  chosen  indeed,"  said  the 
Shogun. 


THE  USURPER.  23 

"  It  must  be  that  bridge ;  those  crossing  the  countless 
city  canals  would  not  expose  you  to  death  by  crumbling 
under  your  feet,  but  at  the  utmost  to  a  disagreeable 
bath." 

"  True,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "  and  from  the  Swallow  bridge 
I  should  be  hurled  upon  the  rocks." 

"  Have  you  full  trust  in  my  friendship  for  you  ?"  asked 
the  Prince  of  Nagato,  after  a  moment's  thought. 

"  Can  you  doubt  it,  Iwakura  ] "  said  the  Shogun. 

"  Very  well,  then.  Fear  nothing,  feign  complete  igno- 
rance, let  them  lead  the  way,  and  march  straight  up  to 
the  bridge.  I  have  thought  of  a  way  to  save  you,  and  yet 
discover  the  truth." 

"  I  trust  myself  to  you,  friend,  in  perfect  confidence." 

"  Then  let  me  go ;  I  must  have  time  to  carry  out  my 
scheme." 

"  Go,  Prince ;  I  place  my  life  in  your  hands  untrem- 
blingly,"  said  the  Shogun. 

Nagato  hastened  away,  first  saluting  the  king,  who 
replied  by  a  friendly  gesture. 


24  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  III. 

FEAST  OF  THE  SEA-GOD.' 

"VTEXT  day,  from  early  dawn,  the  streets  of  Osaka 
•*-^  were  full  of  movement  and  mirth.  The  people 
prepared  for  the  feast,  rejoicing  in  the  thought  of  coming 
pleasures.  Shops,  the  homes  of  artisans  and  citizens, 
opening  full  upon  the  street,  afforded  a  free  view  of  their 
modest  interiors,  furnished  only  with  a  few  beautifully 
colored  screens. 

Voices  were  heard,  mixed  with  bursts  of  laughter ;  and 
now  and  then  some  mischievous  child  struggled  out  of 
his  mother's  arms,  while  she  was  trying  to  dress  him  in 
his  holiday  attire,  and  frisked  and  danced  with  glee  upon 
the  wooden  stairs  leading  from  the  house  to  the  road. 
He  was  then  recalled  with  cries  of  pretended  anger  from 
within,  the  father's  voice  was  heard,  and  the  child  returned 
to  his  mother,  trembling  with  impatience. 

Sometimes  a  little  one  would  cry  :  "  Mother,  mother ! 
Here  comes  the  procession  ! " 

"  Nonsense  ! "  said  the  mother ;  "  the  priests  have  not 
even  finished  dressing  yet." 

But  still  she  moved  towards  the  front  of  the  house, 
and,  leaning  over  the  light  balustrade,  gazed  into  the 
street. 

Carriers,  naked  save  for  a  strip  of  stuff  knotted  round 
their  waists,  hastened  rapidly  by,  across  their  shoulders  a 


THE   USURPER.  25 

bamboo  stick,  which  bent  at  the  tip  from  the  weight  of 
a  package  of  letters.  They  went  in  the  direction  of  the 
Shogun's  residence. 

Before  the  barber's  shops  the  crowd  was  thicker  than 
elsewhere ;  the  boys  could  not  possibly  shave  all  the  chins 
presented,  or  dress  all  the  heads  offered.  Customers 
awaiting  their  turn  chatted  gayly  outside  the  door.  Some 
were  already  dressed  in  their  holiday  garb,  of  bright  colors, 
covered  with  embroidery.  Others,  more  prudent,  naked 
to  the  waist,  preferred  to  finish  their  toilet  after  their 
hair  was  dressed.  Vegetable- sellers  and  fish-merchants 
moved  about  through  the  throng,  loudly  praising  their 
wares,  which  they  carried  in  two  buckets  hanging  from 
a  cross  piece  of  wood  laid  over  one  shoulder. 

On  every  side  people  were  trimming  their  houses  with 
pennants,  and  streamers,  and  ^embroidered  stuffs  covered 
with  Chinese  inscriptions  in  gold  on  a  black  or  purple 
ground ;  lanterns  were  hung  up,  and  blossoming  boughs. 

As  the  morning  advanced,  the  streets  became  fuller  and 
fuller  of  merry  tumult.  Bearers  of  norimonos,  clad  in 
light  tunics  drawn  tightly  round  their  waist,  with  large 
shield-shaped  hats,  shouted  to  the  people  to  make  room. 
Samurais  went  by  on  horseback,  preceded  by  runners, 
who,  with  lowered  head  and  arms  extended,  forced  a  pas- 
sage through  the  crowd.  Groups  paused  to  talk,  sheltered 
from  the  sun  by  huge  parasols,  and  formed  motionless 
islands  in  the  midst  of  the  surging,  billowy  sea  of  promena- 
ders.  A  doctor  hurried  by,  fanning  himself  gravely,  and  fol- 
lowed by  his  two  assistants  carrying  the  medicine-chest. 

"  Illustrious  master,  are  you  not  going  to  the  feast  1 " 
cried  the  passers-by. 

"  Sick  men  pay  no  heed  to  feasts,"  he  answered  with 
a  sigh ;  "  and  as  there  are  none  for  them,  there  can  be 
none  for  us." 


26  •      THE   USURPER. 

On  the  banks  of  Yedogava  the  excitement  was  still 
greater.  The  river  was  literally  hidden  by  thousands 
of  vessels ;  the  masts  trimmed,  the  sails  still  unset,  but 
ready  to  unfurl,  like  wings ;  the  hatchways  hung  with 
silks  and  satins ;  the  prows  decked  with  banners  whose 
golden  fringe,  dipped  into  the  water,  glittered  in  the  sun, 
and  stained  the  azure  stream  with  many-colored  ripples. 

Bands  of  young  women  in  brilliant  attire  came  down 
the  snowy  steps  of  the  river-banks  cut  into  broad  terraces. 
They  entered  elegant  boats  made  of  camphor-wood,  set 
off  by  carvings  and  ornaments  of  copper,  and  filled  them 
with  flowers,  which  spread  perfumes  thrpugh  the  air. 

From  the  top  of  Kiobassi  —  that  fine  bridge  which  re- 
sembles a  bent  bow  —  were  hung  pieces  of  gauze,  crape, 
and  light  silk,  of  the  most  delicate  colors,  and  covered  with 
inscriptions.  A  gentle  breeze  softly  stirred  these  lovely 
stuffs,  which  the  boats,  moving  up  and  down,  pushed  aside 
as  they  passed.  In  the  distance  glistened  the  tall  tower 
of  the  palace  and  the  two  monstrous  goldfish  which 
adorn  its  pinnacle.  At  the  entrance  to  the  city,  to  right 
and  left  of  the  river,  the  two  superb  bastions  looking  out 
to  sea  displayed  on  every  tower,  at  each  angle  of  the 
wall,  the  national  standard,  white  with  a  scarlet  disk,  — 
an  emblem  of  the  sun  rising  through  the  morning  mists. 
Scattered  pagodas  upreared  above  the  trees  against  the 
radiant  sky  their  many  roofs,  curled  upward  at  the  edge 
in  Chinese  fashion. 

The  pagoda  of  Yebis,  the  divinity  of  the  sea,  attracted 
especial  attention  upon  this  day ;  not  that  its  towers 
were  higher,  or  its  sacred  doors  more  numerous,  than  those 
of  neighboring  temples,  but  from  its  gardens  was  to  start 
the  religious  procession  so  eagerly  awaited  by  the  crowd. 

At  last,  in  the  distance,  the  drum  sounded.  Every  ear 
was  bent  to  catch  the  sacred  rhythm  familiar  to  all :  a 


THE    USURPER.  27 

/ 

few  violent  blows  at  regular  intervals,  then  a  hasty  roll, 
gradually  fading  and  dying,  then  again  abrupt  blows. 

A  tremendous  roar  of  delight  rose  from  the  crowd, 
who  instantly  took  their  places  along  the  houses  on  either 
side  of  the  streets  through  which  the  procession  was  to 


The  Kashiras,  district  police,  rapidly  stretched  cords 
from  stake  to  stake,  to  prevent  the  throng  from  trespass- 
ing on  the  main  street.  The  procession  had  started  ;  it 
had  passed  through  the  Tory,  or  sacred  gateway  which 
stands  outside  the  pagoda  of  Yebis ;  and  soon  it  defiled 
before  the  impatient  multitude. 

First  came  sixteen  archers,  one  behind  the  other,  in  two 
lines,  each  man  at  a  convenient  distance  from  the  other. 
They  wore  armor  made  of  plates  of  black  horn  fastened 
together  by  stitches  of  red  wool.  Two  swords  were 
thrust  through  their  sashes,  barbed  arrows  extended 
above  their  shoulders,  and  in  their  hands  they  held  huge 
bows  of  black  and  gold  lacquer.  Behind  them  came  a 
body  of  servants  bearing  long  staffs  tufted  with  silk. 
Then  appeared  Tartar  musicians,  whose  advent  was  an- 
nounced by  a  joyous  racket.  Metallic  vibrations  of  the 
gong  sounded  at  intervals,  mingled  with  drums  beaten 
vigorously,  shuddering  cymbals,  conch-shells  giving  out 
sonorous  notes,  shrill  flute-tones,  and  blasts  of  trumpets 
rending  the  air,  formed  such  an  intensity  of  noise,  that 
the  nearest  spectators  winked  and  blinked,  and  seemed 
almost  blinded. 

After  the  musicians  came,  borne  on  a  high  platform,  a 
gigantic  crawfish,  ridden  by  a  bonze.  Flags  of  every  hue, 
long  and  narrow,  bearing  the  arms  of  the  city,  and  held 
by  boys,  swung  to  and  fro  about  the  enormous  crustacean. 
Following,  were  fifty  lancers,  wearing  round  lacquer  hats, 
and  carrying  on  their  shoulders  a  lance  trimmed  with  a 


28  THE    USURPER. 

red  tassel.  Two  servants  led  next  a  splendidly  caparisoned 
horse,  whose  mane,  drawn  up  above  his  neck,  was  braided 
and  arranged  like  a  rich  fancy  trimming.  Standard- 
bearers  marched  behind  this  horse ;  their  banners  were 
blue,  and  covered  with  golden  characters.  Then  advanced 
two  great  Corean  tigers,  with  open  jaws  and  bloodshot 
eyes.  Children  in  the  crowd  screamed  with  fright;  but 
the  tigers  were  of  pasteboard,  and  men,  hidden  in  their 
paws,  made  them  move.  A  monstrous  drum,  of  cylindri- 
cal form,  followed,  borne  by  two  bonzes  ;  a  third  walked 
beside  it  and  struck  the  drum  incessantly  with  his 
clenched  fist. 

Finally  came  seven  splendidly  dressed  young  women, 
who  were  received  with  merry  applause.  These  were  the 
most  famous  and  most  beautiful  courtesans  of  the  town. 
They  walked  one  after  the  other  majestically,  full  of 
pride,  each  accompanied  by  a  maid,  and  followed  by  a  man 
who  held  a  large  silken  parasol  over  her.  The  people, 
who  knew  them  well,  named  them  as  they  passed. 

"  There 's  the  woman  with  the  silver  teal !  "  Two  of 
those  birds  were  embroidered  on  the  large  loose-sleeved 
cloak  which  she  wore  over  her  many  dresses,  whose  collars 
were  folded  one  above  the  other  upon  her  breast.  The 
cloak  was  of  green  satin,  the  embroidery  of  white  silk, 
mixed  with  silver.  The  fair  one's  headdress  was  stuck 
full  of  enormous  tortoise-shell  pins,  forming  a  semicircle 
of  rays  around  her  face. 

"  That  one  there,  that  is  the  seaweed  woman  ! " 

The  beautiful  growth,  whose  silken  roots  were  lost  in 
the  embroideries  of  the  cloak,  floated  out  from  the  stuff 
and  fluttered  in  the  wind. 

Then  came  the  beauty  with  the  golden  dolphin;  the 
beauty  with  the  almond-blossoms ;  the  beauties  with  the 
swan,  the  peacocks,  and  the  blue  monkey.  All  walked 


THE    USURPER.  29 

barefooted  upon  high  clogs  made  of  ebony,  which  increased 
their  apparent  height.  Their  heads  bristled  with  shell- 
pins,  and  their  faces,  skilfully  painted,  seemed  young  and 
charming  under  the  soft  shadow  of  the  parasol. 

Behind  these  women  marched  men  bearing  willow- 
branches  ;  then  a  whole  army  of  priests,  carrying  on  lit- 
ters, or  under  pretty  canopies  with  gilded  tops,  the  acces- 
sories, ornaments,  and  furniture  of  the  temple,  which  was 
purified  during  the  progress  of  the  procession. 

After  all  these  came  the  shrine  of  Yebis,  the  God 
of  the  Sea,  the  indefatigable  fisher  who  spends  entire 
days  wrapped  in  a  net,  a  line  in  his  hand,  standing  on 
a  rock  half  submerged  in  the  water.  The  octagonal 
roof  was  covered  with  blue  and  silver,  bordered  with  a 
pearl  fringe,  and  surmounted  by  a  great  bird  with  out- 
spread wings.  This  shrine,  containing  the  God  Yebis 
invisible  within,  was  borne  by  fifty  bonzes  naked  to  the 
waist. 

Behind,  upon  a  litter,  was  borne  the  magnificent  fish 
consecrated  to  Yebis,  the  Akama,  or  scarlet  lady,  —  the 
favorite  dish  of  all  those  who  are  fond  of  dainty  fare. 
Thirty  horsemen  armed  with  pikes  ended  the  procession. 

The  long  train  crossed  the  city,  followed  by  the  crowd 
which  gathered  in  its  rear ;  it  reached  the  suburbs,  and 
after  a  long  march  came  out  upon  the  sea-shore. 

Simultaneously  with  its  arrival,  thousands  of  vessels 
reached  the  mouth  of  Yodogava,  which  wafted  them 
gently  towards  the  ocean.  The  sails  were  spread,  the 
oars  bit  the  water,  banners  floated  on  the  breeze,  while 
the  sun  flashed  myriad  sparkles  across  the  blue,  dancing 
waves. 

Fide-Yori  also  reached  the  shore  by  the  road  that 
skirts  the  river  bank ;  he  stopped  his  horse  and  sat  mo- 
tionless in  the  midst  of  his  suite,  which  was  but  scanty, 


30  THE    USURPER. 

the  Regent  being  unwilling  to  eclipse  the  religious  cortege 
by  the  royal  luxury. 

Hieyas  himself  was  carried  in  a  norimono,  as  were  the 
mother  and  wife  of  the  Shoguu.  He .  declared  himself 
ill. 

Fifty  soldiers,  a  few  standard-bearers,  and  two  out- 
runners formed  the  entire  escort. 

The  arrival  of  the  young  Prince  divided  the  attention 
of  the  crowd,  and  the  procession  of  Yebis  no  longer  suf- 
ficed to  attract  every  eye.  The  royal  headdress,  a  sort 
of  oblong  golden  cap  placed  upon  Fide-Yori's  head, 
made  him  easily  recognizable  from  a  distance. 

Soon  the  religious  procession  filed  slowly  before 
the  Shogun.  Then  the  priests  with  the  shrine  left  the 
ranks  and  went  close  down  to  the  water's  edge. 

Upon  this  the  fishermen  and  river  boatmen  suddenly 
ran  up  with  cries,  bounds,  and  gambols,  and  threw  them- 
selves upon  the  bearers  of  Yebis.  They  imitated  a  battle, 
uttering  shouts,  which  grew  more  and  more  shrill.  The 
priests  made  a  feigned  resistance ;  but  soon  the  shrine 
passed  from  their  shoulders  to  those  of  the  stout  sailors. 
The  latter  with  howls  of  joy  rushed  into  the  sea  and 
drew  their  beloved  god  through  the  clear  waves, 
while  bands  of  music,  stationed  on  the  junks  which 
ploughed  the  sea,  broke  into  merry  melody.  At  last  the 
sailors  returned  to  land,  amidst  the  cheers  of  the  crowd, 
who  soon  scattered,  to  return  in  all  haste  to  the  town, 
where  many  other  diversions  awaited  them,  —  open-air 
shows,  sales  of  all  sorts,  theatrical  representations,  ban- 
quets, and  libations  of  saki.  Fide-Yori  left  the  beach  in 
his  turn,  preceded  by  the  two  runners  and  followed  by 
his  train.  They  entered  a  cool  and  charming  little  val- 
ley, and  took  a  road  which,  by  a  very  gentle  slope,  led  to 
the  summit  of  the  hill.  This  road  was  utterly  deserted, 


THE    USURPER.  31 

all  access  to  it  having  been  closed  since  the  evening 
before. 

Fide-Yori  thought  of  the  plot,  of  the  bridge  -which  was 
to  give  way  and  hurl  him  into  an  abyss.  He  had  dwelt 
upon  it  all  night  with  anguish ;  but  beneath  this  bright 
sun,  amidst  this  peaceful  scene,  he  could  no  longer  be- 
lieve in  human  malice.  And  yet  the  path  chosen  for  the 
return  to  the  palace  was  strange.  "  We  will  take  this 
road  to  avoid  the  crowd,"  said  Hieyas ;  but  he  had  only 
to  close  another  way  to  the  people,  and  the  King  might 
have  gone  back  to  the  castle  without  making  this  odd 
circuit. 

Fide-Yori  looked  about  for  !STagato ;  he  was  nowhere  to 
be  seen.  Since  morning  the  Shogun  had  twenty  times 
inquired  for  him.  The  Prince  was  not  to  be  found. 

Sad  forebodings  seized  upon  the  young  Shogun.  He 
suddenly  asked  himself  why  his  escort  should  be  so 
scanty,  why  he  was  preceded  by  two  runners  only.  He 
looked  behind  him,  and  it  seemed  to  him  as  if  the 
norimono-bearers  slackened  their  pace. 

They  reached  the  brow  of  the  hill  and  soon  Swallow 
bridge  appeared  at  the  turn  of  the  road.  As  his  eye  fell 
upon  it,  Fide-Yori  involuntarily  reined  in  his  horse ; 
his  heart  beat  violently.  The  frail  bridge,  boldly  flung 
from  one  hill  to  another,  crossed  a  very  deep  valley. 
The  river,  rapid  as  a  torrent,  leaped  over  the  rocks  with 
a  dull,  continuous  noise.  But  the  bridge  seemed  as 
usual  to  rest  firmly  upon  the  smooth  rocks  which  jutted 
out  beneath  it. 

The  runners  advanced  unshrinkingly.  If  the  con- 
spiracy existed,  they  knew  nothing  of  it.  The  young 
King  dared  not  pause  ;  he  seemed  to  hear  echoing  in  his 
ears  Nagato's  words :  "  March  fearlessly  towards  the 
bridge ! " 


32  THE    USURPER. 

But  the  beseeching  tones  of  Omiti  also  thrilled  through 
his  mind  he  recalled  the  oath  which  he  had  uttered. 
Nagato's  silence  alarmed  him  above  all  else.  How  many 
things  might  occur  to  foil  the  Prince's  plan  !  Surrounded 
by  skilful  spies  who  watched  his  slightest  acts,  he  might 
have  been  carried  off  and  prevented  from  communicating 
with  the  King.  All  these  thoughts  rushed  tumultuously 
into  Fide-Yori's  brain,  the  last  supposition  making  him 
turn  pale.  Then,  by  one  of  those  mental  freaks  often  noted 
in  situations  of  extreme  peril,  he  suddenly  recalled  a  song 
which  he  had  sung  as  a  child,  to  make  himself  familiar 
with  the  chief  sounds  of  the  Japanese  language.  He 
mechanically  repeated  it  :  — 

"  Color  and  perfume  fade  away. 
What  is  there  in  this  world  that  is  permanent  ? 
The  day  which  is  passed,  vanishes  in  the  gulf  of  oblivion. 
It  is  like  the  echo  of  a  dream. 
Its  absence  causes  not  the  slightest  distress. " 

"  I  learned  that  when  a  mere  child,"  murmured  the 
King ;  "  and  yet  I  now  shrink  and  hesitate  at  the 
possibility  of  death." 

Ashamed  of  his  weakness,  he  urged  his  horse  forward. 
Just  then  a  loud  noise  was  heard  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  bridge ;  and,  suddenly  turning  the  corner  of  the 
road,  angry  horses,  with  flying  mane  and  bloodshot  eyes, 
appeared,  dragging  behind  them  a  chariot  laden  with  the 
trunks  of  trees.  They  hastened  towards  the  bridge,  and 
their  furious  feet  rang  doubly  loud  upon  the  wooden 
flooring. 

At  the  sight  of  these  animals  coming  towards  them 
Fide-Yori's  whole  escort  uttered  cries  of  terror,  the  porters 
dropped  their  norimonos,  the  women  jumped  out  of  them 
in  alarm,  and,  gathering  up  their  ample  robes,  fled  hastily 
away.  The  runners,  whose  feet  already  touched  the  bridge, 


THE    USURPER.  33 

turned  abruptly,  and  Fide-Yori  instinctively  sprang  to  one 
side. 

But  all  at  once,  like  a  cord  which,  too  tightly  stretched, 
breaks,  the  bridge  gave  way  with  a  loud  crash ;  it  first 
bent  in  the  centre,  then  the  two  fragments  rose  suddenly 
in  the  air,  scattering  a  shower  of  pieces  on  every  hand. 
The  horses  and  the  car  were  plunged  into  the  river,  the 
water  dashing  in  foam  to  the  very  brow  of  the  hill.  For 
some  moments  one  animal  hung  by  his  harness,  struggling 
above  the  gulf;  but  his  bonds  gave  way  and  he  fell.  The 
tumultuous  stream  quickly  bore  to  the  sea  horses,  floating 
tree  trunks,  and  all  the  remnants  of  the  bridge. 

"  Oh,  Omiti ! "  cried  the  King,  motionless  with  horror, 
"  you  did  not  deceive  me  !  This  then  was  the  fate  reserved 
for  me  !  Had  it  not  been  for  your  devotion,  sweet  girl, 
my  mangled  body  would  even  now  be  flung  from  rock  to 
rock." 

"  Well,  master,  you  possess  the  knowledge  that  you 
wished.  What  do  you  think  of  ray  team  1  "  cried  a  voice 
close  beside  the  King. 

The  latter  turned.  He  was  alone,  all  his  servants  had 
abandoned  hinij  but  he  saw  a  head  rising  from  the  valley. 
He  recognized  Nagato,  who  quickly  climbed  the  stony 
slope  and  stood  beside  the  King. 

"Ah,  my  friend!  my  brother!"  said  Fide-Yori,  who 
could  not  restrain  his  tears.  "  What  have  I  ever  done  to 
inspire  such  hatred]  Who  is  the  unhappy  man  whom 
my  life  oppresses,  and  who  would  fain  hurry  me  from  the 
world  ?  " 

"  Would  you  know  that  wretch  1  —  would  you  learn  the 
name  of  the  guilty  man  ?"  said  Nagato  with  a  frown. 

"  Do  you  know  him,  friend  1     Tell  me  his  name." 

"  Hieyas  ! "  said  Nagato. 

3 


34  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  SISTER  OF  THE  SUN. 

TT  was  the  warmest  hour  of  the  day.  All  the  halls  of 
the  palace  at  Kioto  were  plunged  in  cool  darkness, 
thanks  to  the  lowered  shades  and  open  screens  before  the 
windows. 

Kioto  is  the  capital,  the  sacred  city,  the  residence  of  a 
god  exiled  to  earth,  the  direct  descendant  of  the  celestial 
founders  of  Japan,  the  absolute  sovereign,  the  high  priest 
of  all  the  forms  of  religion  practised  throughout  the  king- 
dom of  the  rising  sun,  in  fact,  the  Mikado.  The  Shogun 
is  only  the  first  among  the  subjects  of  the  Mikado  ;  but 
the  latter,  crushed  beneath  the  weight  of  his  own  majesty, 
blinded  by  his  superhuman  splendor,  leaves  the  care  of 
terrestrial  affairs  to  the  Shogun,  who  rules  in  his  stead, 
while  he  sits  alone,  absorbed  in  the  thought  of  his  own 
sublimity. 

In  the  centre  of  the  palace  parks,  in  one  of  the  pavil- 
ions built  for  the  nobles  of  the  court,  a  woman  lay 
stretched  upon  the  floor  which  was  covered  with  fine  mats. 
Suddenly  she  rose  upon  her  elbow  and  plunged  her  dainty 
fingers  in  the  dark  masses  of  her  hair.  Not  far  from  her, 
an  attendant,  crouched  on  the  ground,  was  playing  with 
a  pretty  dog  of  a  rare  species,  which  looked  like  a  ball  of 
black  and  white  silk.  A  koto,  or  musical  instrument 
with  thirteen  strings,  a  writing-case,  a  roll  of  paper,  a  fan, 


THE    USURPER.  35 

and  a  box  of  sweetmeats  were  scattered  over  the  floor, 
which  no  furniture  concealed.  The  walls  were  made  of 
cedar  wood,  carved  in  open  work  or  covered  with  brilliant 
paintings  enhanced  by  gold  and  silver ;  half-closed  panels 
formed  openings  through  which  other  halls  were  visible, 
and  beyond  these  still  other  apartments. 

"  Mistress,  you  are  sad,"  said  the  attendant.  "  Shall  I 
strike  the  koto-strings,  and  sing  a  song  to  cheer  you  1 " 

The  mistress  shook  her  head. 

"  What  1 "  cried  the  maid,  "  Fatkoura  no  longer  loves 
music  ?  Has  she  then  forgotten  that  she  owes  the  light 
of  day  to  it  ?  For  when  the  Sun-goddess,  enraged  with 
the  gods,  withdrew  into  a  cavern,  it  was  by  letting  her 
hear  divine  music  for  the  first  time  that  she  was  led  back 
to  heaven  ! " 

Fatkoura  uttered  a  sigh,  and  made  no  answer. 

"Shall  I  grind  some  ink  for  you  1  Your  paper  has  long 
remained  as  stainless  as  the  snow  on  Mount  Fusi.  If  you 
have  a  grief,  cast  it  into  the  mould  of  verse,  and  you  will 
be  rid  of  it." 

"No,  Tika;  love  is  not  to  be  got  rid  of;  it  is  a  burning 
pain,  which  devours  one  by  day  and  by  night,  and  never 
sleeps." 

"  Unhappy  love,  perhaps ;  but  you  are  beloved,  mis- 
tress ! "  said  Tika,  drawing  nearer. 

"  I  know  not  what  serpent  hidden  in  the  depths  of  my 
heart  tells  me  that  I  am  not." 

"What !  "  said  Tika  in  amaze,  "has  he  not  revealed  his 
deep  passion  by  a  thousand  acts  of  folly  1  Did  he  not  come 
but  lately,  at  the  risk  of  his  life,  —  for  the  wrath  of  the 
Kisaki  might  well  prove  fatal,  —  merely  to  behold  you 
for  one  instant  ] " 

"Yes;  and  he  vanished  without  exchanging  a  single 
word  with  me,  Tika ! "  added  Fatkoura,  seizing  the  young 


36  THE    USURPER. 

girl's  wrists  in  a  nervous  grasp.  "He  did  not  even  look 
at  me." 

"  Impossible  ! "  said  Tika ;  "  has  he  not  told  you  that  he 
loved  you  1 " 

"  He  has ;  and  I  believed  him,  because  I  was  so  eager  to 
believe.  But  now  I  believe  him  no  longer." 

"  Why  ] " 

"  Because  if  he  loved  me  he  would  have  married  me 
long  since,  and  takan  me  to  his  estates." 

"But  the  affection  which  he  bears  his  master  keeps 
him  at  the  Court  of  Osaka  !  " 

"  So  he  says ;  but  is  that  the  language  of  love  1  What 
would  I  not  sacrifice  for  him  !  .  .  .  Alas !  I  thirst  for 
his  pi'esence !  His  face,  so  haughty,  and  yet  so  gentle, 
floats  before  my  eyes  !  I  long  to  fix  it,  bat  it  escapes  me  ! 
Ah !  if  I  might  but  spend  a  few  happy  months  with  him, 
I  would  gladly  kill  myself  afterwards,  lulling  myself  to 
sleep  with  my  love  ;  and  my  past  happiness  would  be  a 
soft  winding-sheet  for  me." 

Fatkoura  burst  into  sobs  and  hid  her  face  in  her  hands. 
Tika  strove  to  console  her.  She  threw  her  arms  around 
her,  and  said  a  thousand  affectionate  things,  but  could 
not  succeed  in  calming  her. 

Suddenly  a  noise  was  heard  at  the  other  end  of  the 
room,  and  the  little  dog  began  to  yelp. 

Tika  rose  quickly  and  ran  out,  to  prevent  any  servant 
from  entering  and  seeing  the  emotion  of  her  mistress; 
she  soon  returned  beaming. 

"  It  is  he  !  it  is  he  !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  He  is  here  ; 
he  wishes  to  see  you." 

"  Do  not  jest  with  me,  Tika  !  "  said  Fatkoura,  rising  to 
her  feet. 

"  Here  is  his  card,"  said  the  young  girl ;  and  she  offered 
a  paper  to  Fatkoura,  who  read  at  a  glance  :  — 


THE   USURPER.  37 

"  Iwakura  Teroumoto  Mori,  Prince  of  Nagato,  entreats  the  honor 
of  admission  to  your  presence." 

"  My  mirror  !  "  she  cried  frantically.  "  I  am  horrible 
thus,  —  my  eyes  swollen,  my  hair  disordered,  dressed  in  a 
robe  without  embroidery  !  Alas !  instead  of  weeping,  I 
should  have  foreseen  his  coming,  and  busied  myself  with 
my  toilette  from  early  dawn  !  " 

Tika  brought  the  mirror  o'f  burnished  metal,  round  as 
the  full  moon,  and  the  box  of  perfumes  and  cosmetics. 

Fatkoura  took  a  pencil  and  lengthened  her  eyes.  But 
her  hand  trembled,  she  made  too  heavy  a  line;  then, 
wishing  to  repair  the  mistake,  only  succeeded  in  smearing 
her  whole  cheek  with  black.  She  clenched  her  fists  with 
rage,  and  ground  her  teeth.  Tika  came  to  her  aid,  and 
removed  the  traces  of  her  awkwardness.  She  placed  upon 
the  lower  lip  a  little  green  paint,  which  became  pink  on 
contact  with  the  skin.  To  replace  the  eyebrows,  which 
had  been  carefully  plucked  out,  she  made  two  large  black 
spots  very  high  upon  her  forehead ;  to  make  the  oval  of 
her  face  longer,  she  sprinkled  a  little  pink  powder  on  her 
cheek-bones ;  then  rapidly  removed  all  the  apparatus  of 
the  toilette,  and  threw  over  her  mistress's  shoulders  a 
superb  kirimon.  Then  she  left  the  hall  at  full  speed. 

Fatkoura,  trembling  violently,  stood  beside  the  gotto 
as  it  lay  on  the  floor,  one  hand  holding  up  her  mantle 
heavy  with  ornament,  and  eagerly  fixed  her  gaze  on  the 
entrance. 

At  last  Nagato  appeared.  He  advanced,  placing  one 
hand  on  the  golden  hilt  of  one  of  his  two  swords,  and, 
bowing  with  graceful  dignity,  said  :  "Pardon  me,  fair 
Fatkoura,  if  I  come  like  a  storm  which  sweeps  across  the 
sky  unannounced  by  any  foreboding  clouds." 

"  You  are  to  me  like  the  sun  when  it  rises  from  the 
sea,"  said  Fatkoura,  "  and  you  are  always  expected.  Stay  ! 


38  THE    USURPER. 

but  a  moment  since  I  wept  for  your  sake.  See  !  my  eyes 
are  still  red." 

"  Your  eyes  are  like  the  evening  and  the  morning 
stars,"  said  the  Prince.  "  But  why  did  they  drown  their 
rays  in  tears  1  Can  I  have  given  you  any  cause  to 
grieve  1 " 

"You  are  here,  and  I  have  forgotten  the  cause  of  my 
sorrow,"  said  Fatkoura,  smiling ;  "  perhaps  I  wept  because 
you  were  far  away." 

"  Why  can  I  not  be  always  here  1 "  cried  Nagato,  with 
such  an  accent  of  truth  that  the  young  woman  felt  all 
her  fears  vanish,  and  a  flash  of  joy  illumined  her  coun- 
tenance. Perhaps,  however,  she  mistook  the  meaning  of 
the  Prince's  words. 

"  Come  closer,"  she  said,  "  and  rest  upon  these  mats. 
Tika  will  serve  us  with  tea  and  a  few  delicacies." 

"  Could  I  not  first  send  the  Kisaki  a  secret  petition  of 
the  utmost  importance  1 "  asked  Nagato.  "  I  seized  upon 
the  pretext  of  this  precious  missive  in  order  to  get 
away  from  Osaka,"  he  added,  seeing  a  shadow  on  Fatkoura's 
brow. 

"  The  sovereign  has  been  vexed  with  me  since  your  last 
appearance  ;  I  dare  not  approach  her,  or  send  any  of  my 
servants  to  her." 

"And  yet  this  note  must  be  in  her  hands  with  the 
briefest  possible  delay,"  said  Nagato,  with  a  slight  frown. 

"What  shall  we  do  1 "  said  Fatkoura,  whom  this  trifling 
mark  of  distress  had  not  escaped.  "  Will  you  come  with 
me  to  one  of  my  illustrious  friends,  the  noble  Iza-Farou 
No-Kami]  She  is  in  favor  just  now ;  perhaps  she  will 
help  us." 

"  Let  us  go  to  her  at  once,"  said  the  Prince. 

"  Let  us  go,"  said  Fatkoura  with  a  sigh. 

The  young  woman  called  Tika,  who  had  remained  in  the 


THE    USURPER.  39 

next  room,  and  signed  to  her  to  draw  a  sliding-panel,  which 
opened  upon  a  gallery  encircling  the  pavilion. 

"Are  you  going  out,  mistress1?"  said  Tika.  "Shall  I 
summon  your  suite  1 " 

"  We  are  going  incognito,  Tika,  to  take  a  walk  in  the 
orchard.  Really,"  she  added,  with  her  finger  on  her  lips, 
"  we  are  going  to  visit  the  noble  Iza-Farou." 

The  maid  bent  her  head  in  token  of  understanding. 
Fatkoura  'bravely  set  foot  on  the  balcony,  but  sprang 
back  hastily  with  an  exclamation. 

"It 's  a  furnace,"  she  cried. 

Nagato  picked  up  the  fan  lying  upon  the  floor. 

"  Courage  !  "  he  said  ;  "  I  will  cool  the  air  nearest  your 
face." 

Tika  took  a  parasol,  which  she  opened  over  her  mis- 
tress's head,  and  Nagato  waved  the  huge  fan.  They  set 
out,  sheltered  at  first  by  the  projecting  roof.  Fatkoura 
led  the  way.  Now  and  then  she  touched  her  finger-tips 
to  the  open-work  cedar  balustrade,  and  uttered  a  baby 
shriek  at  its  burning  contact.  The  pretty  silken-haired 
dog,  who  had  felt  obliged  to  join  the  party,  followed 
at  a  distance,  growling,  doubtless,  remarks  upon  the 
madness  of  a  walk  at  such  an  hour  of  the  day. 

They  turned  the  corner  of  the  house,  and  found  them- 
selves in  front  of  it,  at  the  top  of  a  broad  staircase  leading 
to  the  garden,  between  two  balusters  ornamented  with 
copper  balls  ;  a  third  baluster,  in  the  centre  of  the  stair- 
case, divided  it  into  two  parts. 

In  spite  of  the  intolerable  heat  and  the  vivid  light, 
whose  reflection  from  the  sandy  soil  fairly  blinded  them, 
Fatkoura  and  the  Prince  of  Nagato  pretended  to  be  walk- 
ing with  no  other  object  than  to  pick  a  few  flowers  and 
admire  the  charming  prospect  which  lay  before  them  at 
every  step.  Although  the  gardens  were  deserted,  they 


40  THE   USURPER. 

knew  that  the  eye  of  the  spy  was  never  closed.  They 
made  haste  to  reach  a  shady  alley,  and  soon  arrived  at  a 
group  of  sumptuous  pavilions  scattered  among  the  trees 
and  connected  by  covered  galleries. 

"  It  is  here,"  said  Fatkoura,  who,  far  from  looking  in  the 
direction  of  the  buildings  of  which  she  spoke,  was  lean- 
ing over  a  little  pond  filled  with  water  so  clear  as  to  be 
almost  invisible. 

"  Just  see  that  pretty  fish  ! "  she  said,  purposely  raising 
her  voice ;  "  I  should  think  he  was  carved  from  a  block  of 
amber.  And  that  one  who  looks  like  a  ruby  sprinkled 
with  gold  !  he  seems  hanging  in  mid  air,  the  water  is  so 
transparent.  See,  his  fins  are  like  black  gauze,  and  his 
eyes  like  balls  of  fire  !  Decidedly,  of  all  the  dwellers  in 
the  palace,  Iza-Farou  has  the  finest  fish." 

"  What,  Fatkoura  !  "  cried  a  feminine  voice  from  the  in- 
terior of  a  pavilion,  "  are  you  out  at  such  an  hour  ]  Is  it 
because  you  are  a  widow  that  you  take  so  little  care  of 
your  skin,  and  let  it  be  destroyed  by  the  sun  1 " 

A  blind  was  half  raised,  and  Iza-Farou  thrust  out  her 
pretty  head,  bristling  with  light  tortoise-shell  pins. 

"  Ah  !  "  she  said,  "  the  lord  of  Nagato  !  You  will  not 
pass  by  my  house  without  honoring  me  by  entering,"  she 
added. 

"  We  will  come  in  with  pleasure,  thanking  the  fate 
which  led  us  in  this  direction,"  said  Fatkoura. 

They  went  up  the  steps  leading  to  the  pavilion,  and 
moved  on  through  the  flowers  filling  the  balcony. 

Iza-Farou  came  towards  them. 

"  What  had  you  to  tell  me  1 "  she  said  to  her  friend  in 
a  low  voice,  as  she  gracefully  saluted  the  Prince. 

"I  need  your  help,"  said  Fatkoura;  "you  know  I  am 
in  disgrace." 

"  I  know  it ;  shall  I  sue  for  your  pardon  1     But  can  I 


THE    USURPER.  41 

assure  the  Queen  that  you  will  never  again  commit  the 
fault  which  angered  her  so  deeply?"  said  Iza-Farou, 
casting  a  mischievous  glance  at  Nagato. 

"  I  am  the  only  criminal,"  said  the  Prince,  smiling. 
"  Fatkoura  is  not  responsible  for  the  actions  of  a  madman 
like  me." 

"  Prince,  I  think  she  is  proud  to  be  the  cause  of  what 
you  call  mad  acts ;  and  many  are  the  women  who  envy 
her." 

"  Do  not  jest  with  me,"  said  Nagato ;  "  I  am  suffi- 
ciently punished  by  having  drawn  down  the  wrath  of  her 
sovereign  upon  the  noble  Fatkoura." 

"  But  that  is  not  the  question  in  point,"  cried  Fatkoura. 
"  The  Lord  of  Nagato  is  bearer  of  an  important  message 
which  he  wishes  to  transmit  to  the  Kisaki  secretly.  He 
first  came  to  me  ;  but  as  I  cannot  approach  the  Queen  just 
now,  I  thought  of  your  kind  friendship." 

"  Trust  the  message  to  me,"  said  Iza-Farou,  turning  to 
the  Prince ;  "in  a  very  few  moments  it  shall  be  in  the 
hands  of  our  illustrious  mistress." 

"  I  am  overcome  with  gratitude,"  said  Nagato,  taking 
from  his  bosom  a  white  satin  wrapper  containing  the 
letter. 

"  Wait  here  for  me ;  I  will  return  soon." 

Iza-Farou  took  the  letter,  and  ushered  her  guests  into 
a  cool  and  shady  hall,  where  she  left  them  alone. 

"  These  pavilions  communicate  with  the  Kisaki's  pal- 
ace," said  Fatkoura ;  "  my  noble  friend  can  visit  the 
sovereign  without  being  seen  by  other  eyes.  May  the 
gods  grant  that  the  messenger  bring  back  a  favorable 
answer,  and  I  may  see  the  cloud  which  darkens  your 
brow  vanish ! " 

The  Prince  seemed,  in  fact,  absorbed  and  anxious ;  he 
nibbled  the  tip  of  his  fan  as  he  paced  the  room.  Fat- 


42  THE   USURPER. 

koura  followed  him  with  her  eyes,  and  her  heart  involun- 
tarily stood  still ;  she  felt  a  return  of  the  dreadful  agony 
which  had  so  recently  wrung  tears  from  her,  and  which 
the  presence  of  her  beloved  had  suddenly  calmed. 

"  He  does  not  love  me,"  she  murmured  in  despair ; 
"  when  his  eyes  turn  towards  me,  they  alarm  me  by  their 
cold  and  almost  contemptuous  expression." 

Nagato  seemed  to  have  forgotten  the  presence  of  the 
young  woman ;  he  leaned  against  a  half-open  panel,  and 
seemed  lost  in  a  dream,  at  once  sweet  and  poignant. 

The  rustle  of  a  dress  upon  the  mats  that  covered  the 
floor  drew  him  from  his  revery.  Iza-Farou  returned  ;  she 
seemed  in  haste,  and  soon  appeared  at  the  corner  of  the 
gallery.  Two  young  boys,  magnificently  attired,  followed 
her. 

"  These  are  the  words  of  the  divine  Kisaki,"  said  she, 
as  soon  as  she  was  within  speaking  distance  of  Nagato : 
" '  Let  the  suppliant  make  his  request  in  person.'  " 

At  these  words  Nagato  turned  so  pale,  that  Iza-Farou, 
frightened,  thinking  that  he  would  faint,  rushed  towards 
him,  to  prevent  him  from  falling. 

"  Prince,"  she  cried,  "  be  calm  !  Such  a  favor  is,  I  know, 
enough  to  cause  your  emotion  ;  but  are  you  not  used  to 
all  honors  ? " 

"  Impossible  ! "  muttered  Nagato,  in  a  voice  which  was 
scarcely  audible  ;  "  I  cannot  appear  before  her." 

"  What ! "  said  Iza-Farou,  "  would  you  disobey  her 
command?" 

"  I  am  not  in  court-dress,"  said  the  Prince. 

"  She  will  dispense  with  ceremony  for  this  time  only, 
the  reception  being  secret.  Do  not  keep  her  waiting 
longer." 

"  So  be  it ;  lead  the  way  ! "  suddenly  exclaimed  Nagato, 
who  had  now  apparently  conquered  his  emotion. 


THE    USURPER.  43 

"  These  two  pages  will  conduct  you,"  said  Iza-Farou. 

Nagato  left  the  room  rapidly,  preceded  by  the  Kisaki's 
two  servitors ;  but  not  so  rapidly  that  he  did  not  hear  a 
stifled  cry  which  broke  from  the  lips  of  Fatkoura. 

After  walking  for  some  time,  and  passing  through  the 
various  galleries  and  halls  of  the  palace  without  paying 
the  slightest  heed  to  them,  Nagato  came  to  a  great  cur- 
tain of  white  satin,  embroidered  in  gold,  whose  bi*oad 
folds,  silvery  in  the  light,  leaden-hued  in  the  shade,  lay 
in  ample  heaps  upon  the  ground. 

The  pages  drew  aside  this  drapery ;  the  Prince  ad- 
vanced, and  the  quivering  waves  of  satin  fell  together 
again  behind  him. 

The  walls  of  the  hall  which  he  entered  glittered  faintly 
in  the  dim  light ;  they  gave  out  flashes  of  gold,  the  white- 
ness of  pearls  and  purple  reflections,  while  an  exquisite 
perfume  floated  in  the  air.  At  the  end  of  the  room, 
beneath  curtains  fastened  back  by  golden  cords,  sat  the 
radiant  sovereign,,  in  the  midst  of  the  silken  billows  of  her 
scai'let  robes ;  the  triple  plate  of  gold,  insignia  of  omni- 
potence, rose  above  her  brow.  The  Prince  grasped  the 
vision  with  one  involuntary  look ;  then,  dropping  his  eyes 
as  if  he  had  gazed  upon  the  sun  at  noon,  he  advanced  to 
the  centre  of  the  room  and  fell  upon  his  knees ;  then 
slowly  his  face  sank  to  the  ground. 

"Iwakura,"  said  the  Kisaki,  after  a  long  pause,  "what 
you  ask  of  me  is  serious.  I  desire  certain  explanations 
from  your  own  lips  before  I  prefer  your  request  to  the 
sublime  master  of  the  world,  the  son  of  the  gods,  my 
spouse." 

The  Prince  half  rose,  and  strove  to  speak,  but  could 
not ;  he  felt  as  if  his  bosom  would  burst  with  the  frantic 
throbbing  of  his  heart.  The  words  died  on  his  lips,  and 
he  remained  with  downcast  eyes,  pale  as  death. 


44  THE    USURPER. 

"  Is  it  because  you  think  me  angry  with  you  that  you 
are  so  much  alarmed  1 "  said  the  Queen,  looking  at 
the  Prince  for  an  instant  with  surprise.  "  I  can  forgive 
you,  for  your  crime  is  but  slight.  You  love  one  of  my 
maidens,  that  is  all." 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  love  her  !  "  cried  Nagato,  who,  as  if  he 
had  lost  his  senses,  raised  his  eyes  to  his  sovereign. 

"  What  matters  it  to  me1?  "  said  the  Kisaki  abruptly. 

For  one  second  their  gaze  met ;  but  Nagato  closed  his 
guilty  eyes,  and  trembling  at  his  own  audacity,  awaited 
its  punishment. 

But  after  a  pause  the  Kisaki  went  on  in  a  quiet  voice  : 
"  Your  letter  reveals  to  me  a  terrible  secret ;  and  if 
what  you  imagine  is  true,  the  peace  of  the  kingdom  may 
be  deeply  affected." 

"  That  is  why,  Divine  Sister  of  the  Sun,  I  had  the  bold- 
ness to  beg  for  your  all-powerful  intercession,"  said  the 
Prince,  unable  completely  to  master  the  quiver  in  his 
voice.  "  If  you  grant  my  prayer,  if  I  obtain  what  I  ask, 
great  misfortunes  may  be  prevented." 

"  You  know,  Iwakura,  that  the  Celestial  Mikado  is 
favorable  to  Hieyas ;.  would  he  believe  in  the  crime  of 
which  you  accuse  his  favorite  ?  and  would  you  be  willing 
to  maintain  in  public  the  accusation  hitherto  kept 
secret  1 " 

"I  would  maintain  it  to  Hieyas'  very  face,"  said  Nagato 
firmly;  "he  is  the  instigator  of  the  odious  plot  which 
came  near  costing  my  young  master  his  life." 

"That  affirmation  would  endanger  your  own  life.  Have 
you  thought  of  that  1 " 

"  My  life  is  a  slight  thing,"  said  the  Prince.  "  Besides, 
the  mere  fact  of  my  devotion  to  Fide-Yori  is  enough  to 
attract  the  Regent's  hatred.  I  barely  escaped  assassina- 
tion by  his  men  a  few  days  ago,  on  leaving  Kioto." 


THE   USURPER.  45 

"  What,  Prince  !  is  that  indeed  possible  ] "  said  the 
Kisaki. 

"  I  only  mention  the  unimportant  fact,"  continued 
Nagato,  "  to  show  you  that  this  man  is  familiar  with 
crime,  and  that  he  is  anxious  to  rid  himself  of  those  who 
stand  in  the  way  of  his  ambition." 

"  But  how  did  you  escape  from  the  murderers  ? "  asked 
the  Kisaki,  who  seemed  to  take  a  lively  interest  in  the 
adventure. 

"  The  sharp  blade  of  my  sword  and  the  strength  of  my 
arm  saved  my  life.  But  why  should  you  waste  your 
sublime  thoughts  upon  so  trifling  an  incident  1 " 

"Were  the  assassins  numerous?"  inquired  the  Queen, 
curiously. 

"  Ten  or  twelve,  perhaps.  I  killed  several  of  them ;  then 
I  gave  my  horse  the  spurs,  and  he  soon  put  a  sufficient 
distance  between  them  and  me." 

"  What  !  "  said  the  Kisaki  meditatively,  "  is  the  man 
who  has  the  confidence  of  my  divine  spouse  so  fierce  and 
treacherous?  I  share  your  fears,  Iwakura,  and  sad  fore- 
bodings overwhelm  me ;  but  can  I  persuade  the  Mikado 
that  our  presentiments  are  not  vain  ?  At  least  I  will  try 
to  do  so,  for  the  good  of  my  people  and  the  salvation  of  the 
kingdom.  Go,  Prince  ;  be  at  the  reception  this  evening. 
I  shall  then  have  seen  the  Lord  of  the  World." 

The  Prince,  having  prostrated  himself,  rose,  and  with 
his  head  still  bent  towards  the  earth,  withdrew  backwards 
from  the  room.  As  he  reached  the  satin  curtain,  he  once 
more  almost  involuntarily  raised  his  eyes  to  the  sovereign, 
who  followed  him  with  her  gaze.  But  the  drapery  fell 
and  the  adorable  vision  disappeared. 

The  pages  led  Iwakura  to  one  of  the  palaces  reserved 
for  sovereign  princes  passing  through  Kioto.  Happy  to 
find  himself  alone,  he  stretched  himself  upon  a  pile  of 


46  THE   USURPER. 

cushions,  and,  still  deeply  moved,  gave  himself  up  to  a 
delicious  revery. 

"  Ah  !"  he  murmured,  "  what  strange  joy  fills  my  soul ! 
I  am  intoxicated  ;  perhaps  it  comes  from  breathing  the 
air  that  surrounds  her  !  Ah  !  tei-rible  madness,  hopeless 
longing  which  causes  me  such  sweet  suffering,  how  much 
you  must  be  increased  by  this  unexpected  interview ! 
Already  I  had  often  fled  from  Osaka ;  exhausted,  like  a 
diver  perishing  for  want  of  air,  I  came  hither,  to  gaze  upon 
the  palaces  which  hide  her  from  my  sight,  or  to  catch  an 
occasional  glimpse  of  her  in  the  distance  as  she  leaned  over 
a  balcony,  or  paced  the  garden  paths  surrounded  by  her 
women  ;  and  I  bore  hence  a  store  of  happiness.  But  now 
I  have  breathed  the  perfume  which  exhales  from  her  per- 
son, her  voice  has  caressed  my  ear,  I  have  heard  my  name 
tremble  on  her  lips  !  Can  I  now  be  content  with  what  has 
hitherto  filled  up  my  life  1  I  am  lost ;  my  existence  is 
ruined  by  this  impossible  love  ;  and  yet  I  am  happy.  Soon 
I  shall  see  her  again,  no  longer  under  the  constraint  of  a 
political  audience,  but  able  to  dazzle  myself  at  my  ease 
with  her  beauty.  Shall  I  have  strength  to  conceal  my 
agitation  and  my  criminal  love  ?  Yes,  divine  sovereign, 
before  thee  only  my  haughty  spirit  falls  prostrate,  and  my 
every  thought  turns  towards  thee  as  the  mists  to  the  sun. 
Goddess,  I  adore  thee  with  awe  and  respect;  but  alas! 
I  love  thee  as  well,  with  a  mad  tenderness,  as  if  thou  wert 
but  a  mere  woman ! " 


THE    USURPER.  47 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  KNIGHTS  OF  HEAVEN. 

""VTIGHT  had  come ;  to  the  heat  of  the  day  had  suc- 
-*-^  ceeded  a  delicious  coolness,  and  the  air  was  full  of 
perfume  from  the  garden  flowers,  wet  with  dew. 

The  balconies  running  outside  the  palace  halls  in  which 
the  evening  diversions  were  to  take  place,  were  illumi- 
nated, and  crowded  with  guests,  who  breathed  the  even- 
ing air  with  delight.  The  Prince  of  Nagato  ascended  the 
staircase  of  honor,  bordered  on  either  hand  by  a  living 
balustrade  of  pretty  pages,  each  holding  in  his  hand  a 
gilded  stick,  at  the  end  of  which  hung  a  round  lantern. 
The  Prince  passed  through  the  galleries  slowly,  on  ac- 
count of  the  crowd ;  he  bowed  low  when  he  encountered 
any  high  dignitary  of  the  Court,  saluted  the  princes,  his 
equals,  in  friendly  phrase,  and  approached  the  throne 
room. 

This  hall  shone  resplendent  from  the  myriad  rays  of 
lanterns  and  of  lamps.  A  joyous  uproar  filled  it  as  well 
as  the  neighboring  apartments  seen  through  the  widely 
opened  panels. 

The  maids-of-honor  chattered  together,  and  their  voices 
were  blended  with  the  slight  rustle  of  their  robes,  as 
they  arranged  the  ample  folds.  Seated  on  the  right 
and  left  of  the  royal  dai's,  these  princesses  formed  groups, 
and  each  group  had  its  hierarchic  rank  and  its  especial 


48  THE    USURPER. 

colors.  In  one  the  women  were  arrayed  in  pale-blue 
robes  flowered  with  silver ;  in  another  in  green,  lilac,  or 
pale-yellow  gowns. 

Upon  the  dais  covered  with  soft  carpets,  the  Kisaki 
shone  resplendent  in  the  midst  of  the  waves  of  satin, 
gauze,  and  silver  brocade  formed  by  her  full  scarlet  and 
white  robes,  scintillating  with  precious  stones.  The  three 
vertical  plates  surmounting  her  diadem  looked  like  three 
golden  sunbeams  hovering  above  her  brow. 

Certain  princesses  had  mounted  the  steps  to  the  throne, 
and,  kneeling  upon  the  topmost  one,  talked  merrily  with 
their  sovereign ;  the  latter  sometimes  uttered  a  low 
laugh,  which  scandalized  some  silent  old  prince,  the  faith- 
ful guardian  of  the  severe  rules  of  etiquette.  But  the 
sovereign  was  so  young,  not  yet  twenty  years  old,  that 
she  might  readily  be  pardoned  if  she  sometimes  ceased  to 
feel  the  weight  of  the  crown  upon  her  head ;  and  at  her 
laughter,  joy  spread  on  every  side,  as  the  songs  of  the 
birds  break  forth  with  the  first  rays  of  the  sun. 

"  The  supreme  gods  be  praised ! "  said  one  princess 
in  an  undertone  to  her  companions,  "  the  sorrow  that 
oppressed  our  sovereign  has  passed  aAvay  at  last ;  she  is 
gayer  than  ever  this  evening." 

"  And  in  what  a  clement  mood ! "  said  another. 
"  There  is  Fatkoura  restored  to  favor.  She  mounts  the 
steps  to  the  throne.  The  Kisaki  has  summoned  her." 

In  fact  Fatkoura  stood  upon  the  last  step  of  the  royal 
dais  ;  but  the  melancholy  expression  of  her  features,  her 
fixed  and  bewildered  gaze,  contrasted  strangely  with  the 
serene  and  happy  look  imprinted  upon  every  face.  She 
thanked  the  Kisaki  for  granting  her  pardon  ;  but  she  did 
it  in  a  voice  so  sad  and  so  singularly  troubled  that  the 
young  Queen  trembled,  and  raised  her  eyes  to  her  former 
favorite. 


THE   USURPER.  49 

"  Are  you  ill  ? "  she  asked,  surprised  at  the  change  in 
the  young  woman's  features. 

"  With  joy  at  winning  forgiveness,  perhaps,"  stammered 
Fatkoura. 

"  You  need  not  remain  for  the  feast  if  you  are  not  well." 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  Fatkoura,  bending  low,  as  she 
moved  away  and  was  lost  in  the  crowd. 

The  notes  of  a  hidden  orchestra  were  soon  heard,  and 
the  entertainment  began. 

A  curtain  was  drawn  aside  in  the  wall  opposite  the 
throne,  and  revealed  a  chai'ming  landscape. 

Mount  Fusiyama  appeared  in  the  background,  rearing 
its  snow-sprinkled  peak  above  a  necklace  of  clouds ;  the 
sea,  of  a  deep  blue,  dotted  with  a  few  white  sails,  lay  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountains :  a  road  wound  along  among 
trees  and  thickets  of  flowering  shrubs. 

Then  a  young  man  entered ;  he  hung  his  head ;  he 
seemed  tired  and  sad.  The  orchestra  was  silent.  The 
young  man  lifted  up  his  voice.  He  told  how  misfortune 
had  pursued  him.  His  mother  died  of  grief  because  the 
fields  cultivated  by  her  husband  grew  more  and  more 
sterile.  He  followed  his  mother's  coffin  with  tears,  then 
almost  killed  himself  with  work  to  support  his  aged 
father ;  but  the  father  died  in  his  turn,  leaving  his  son  so 
destitute,  that  he  had  not  money  enough  to  bury  him. 
He  then  sold  himself  as  a  slave,  and  with  the  price  of  his 
liberty  paid  the  last  marks  of  respect  to  his  father.  Now 
he  was  on  his  way  to  his  master  to  comply  with  the  terms 
of  the  contract.  He  was  going  off,  when  a  most  beauti- 
ful woman  appeared  in  his  path.  The  young  man  gazed 
at  her  in  mute  admiration. 

"  I  have  a  favor  to  beg  of  you,"  said  the  woman.  "  I 
am  alone  and  forsaken ;  accept  me  for  your  wife  :  I  will  be 
devoted  and  faithful  to  you." 

4 


50  THE   USURPER. 

"Alas!"  said  the  young  man,  "I  have  not  a  single 
possession,  and  even  my  body  is  not  my  own.  I  have 
sold  myself  to  a  master,  to  whom  I  am  now  on  my  way." 

"  I  am  skilled  in  the  art  of  weaving  silk,"  said  the  un- 
known ;  "  take  me  to  your  master ;  I  will  manage  to 
make  myself  useful." 

"  I  consent  with  all  my  heart,"  said  the  youth ;  "  but 
how  comes  it  that  a  woman  so  beautiful  as  you  is  willing 
to  take  a  poor  man  like  me  for  her  husband  ] " 

"  Beauty  is  nothing  in  comparison  with  the  qualities  of 
the  heart,"  said  the  woman. 

In  the  second  part,  the  husband  and  wife  are  seen 
working  in  their  master's  gardens,  —  the  man  cultivating 
flowers,  the  wife  embroidering  a  marvellous  tissue  which 
she  had  woven.  The  master  walked  about,  overlooking 
his  slaves ;  he  approached  the  young  woman  and  ex- 
amined her  work. 

"  Oh,  what  splendid  stuff ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  it  is  of 
inestimable  value." 

"  I  would  gladly  exchange  it  for  our  liberty." 

The  master  agreed  to  the  bargain,  and  set  them  free. 

Then  the  husband  fell  at  his  wife's  feet ;  he  thanked 
her  enthusiastically  for  having  thus  delivered  him  from 
bondage.  But  the  woman  was  transformed  ;  she  became 
so  brilliant,  that  the  young  man,  dazzled,  could  look  at 
her  no  longer. 

"  I  am  the  celestial  weaver,"  said  she ;  "  your  courage 
and  industry  and  your  filial  piety  touched  me,  and,  seeing 
your  misery,  I  descended  from  heaven  to  help  you.  All 
that  you  may  henceforth  undertake  shall  succeed  if  you 
never  depart  from  the  path  of  virtue." 

So  saying,  the  divine  weaver  rose  to  heaven  and  resumed 
her  place  in  the  house  of  the  silkworms.1 
1  Constellation  of  the  Scorpion. 


THE    USURPER.  51 

The  orchestra  then  played  a  dance.  The  curtain  fell, 
and  soon  rose  again.  It  revealed  the  garden  of  a  pagoda, 
with  its  thickets  of  bamboos,  its  light  edifices,  with  their 
huge  roofs  supported  by  a  vast  number  of  beams  of  every 
hue.  Then  scene  followed  upon  scene  in  pantomime,  one 
having  no  connection  with  the  other.  Eeligious  or 
military  legends  were  represented,  fabulous  heroes  and 
symbolic  characters  appeared  in  antique  costume,  some 
wearing  the  egg-shaped  mitre  and  the  tunic  with  long 
open  sleeves,  othei'S  having  on  their  head  the  old-fashioned 
crestless  helmet,  with  its  gold  ornaments,  which  protected 
the  nape  of  the  neck,  or  wearing  a  fantastic  headdress, 
broad  and  high,  in  the  form  of  a  pyramid  of  gold,  decorated 
with  fringes  and  tiny  bells. 

Then  the  stage  was  cleared  ;  and  after  a  prelude  from 
the  orchestra,  young  and  lovely  dancing-girls  appeared, 
clad  in  gorgeous  dresses,  with  the  wings  of  birds  or  butter- 
flies on  their  shoulders,  and  long  antennae  on  their  fore- 
heads which  quivered  gently  above  their  golden  crowns, 
wrought  in  open-work.  They  performed  a  slow  graceful 
dance,  full  of  undulating  rocking  movements  ;  their  figure 
ended,  they  formed  groups  on  either  side  of  the  stage, 
while  comic  dancers,  disguised  in  false  noses  and  extrava- 
gant costumes,  entered  and  concluded  the  spectacle  by  a 
wild  dance  full  of  blows  and  tumbles. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  representation  the  Prince 
of  Nagato  had  leaned  against  a  wall  near  the  stage,  and, 
half  hidden  in  the  folds  of  a  curtain,  while  every  eye  was 
fixed  upon  the  mimic  scene,  he  gazed  ecstatically  upon 
the  smiling  and  radiant  sovereign. 

It  seemed  as  if  the  Queen  felt  oppressed  by  this  ardent 
and  tenacious  gaze,  for  she  turned  her  head,  and  her  eyes 
rested  on  the  Prince. 

The  latter  did  not  lower  his  eyes ;  an  all-powerful  charm 


52  THE   USURPER. 

prevented  him  from  doing  so ;  that  look,  descending 
towards  him  like  a  sunbeam,  scorched  him.  For  a  mo- 
ment he  felt  as  if  he  had  lost  his  senses ;  it  seemed  as  if 
the  Kisaki  smiled  upon  him  very  faintly.  She  instantly 
cast  down  her  eyes  and  examined  the  bracelet  encircling 
her  arm ;  then,  lifting  her  head,  she  appeared  to  follow 
the  course  of  the  performance  attentively. 

When  the  curtain  fell  for  the  last  time,  in  the  midst  of 
the  hubbub  of  conversation  renewed  after  a  prolonged 
silence,  a  woman  paused  before  Nagato. 

"  I  know  your  secret,  Prince  !  "  she  said,  in  alow,  but 
threatening  tone. 

"What  do  you  mean1?"  cried  Nagato;  "I  do  not 
understand  you,  Fatkoura." 

"  You  understand  me  very  well,"  replied  Fatkoura, 
looking  steadily  at  him ;  "  and  you  may  well  turn  pale, 
for  your  life  is  in  my  hands." 

" My  life  !  "  murmured  the  Prince  ;  "I  would  bless  any 
one  who  would  rid  me  of  it." 

The  young  woman  had  moved  away ;  but  a  great  stir 
now  occurred  around  the  Queen.  All  the  maids-of-honor 
had  risen,  and  silence  again  fell  upon  the  assembly. 

The  Kisaki  stepped  down  from  her  throne  ;  she  advanced 
slowly  through  the  hall,  dragging  a  weight  of  satin  after 
her.  The  princesses  in  groups,  according  to  their  rank, 
followed  at  a  distance,  stopping  whenever  she  stopped. 
All  the  guests  bowed  low  as  she  passed.  She  spoke  a  few 
words  to  an  illustrious  Daimio  or  a  lady  of  high  rank,  then 
went  on  ;  in  this  way  she  reached  the  Prince  of  Nagato. 

"  Iwakura,"  said  she,  drawing  from  her  bosom  a 
sealed  letter  wrapped  in  a  piece  of  green  satin,  "  give  this 
paper  to  the  Shogun's  mother  from  me."  And  she  added 
in  a  lower  tone  :  "  It. is  what  you  asked  for.  The  Mikado's 
orders  are  that  you  shall  only  make  use  of  this  document 


THE   USURPER.  53 

when  you  are  sure  that  Hieyas  is  about  to  perjure 
himself." 

"  Your  orders  shall  be  faithfully  executed,"  said  Nagato, 
tremblingly  taking  the  letter.  "  This  very  night  I  will 
return  to  Osaka." 

"  May  your  journey  be  prosperous ! "  said  the  Kisaki 
in  a  strangely  gentle  voice.  Then  she  passed  on ;  the 
Prince  still  heard  the  rustle  of  her  dress  on  the  mats  for 
a  brief  moment. 

An  hour  later  Nagato  left  the  Dairi,1  and  was  on  his 
way. 

In  traversing  the  city  he  was  obliged  to  keep  his  horse 
to  a  walk,  lest  he  should  run  over  some  of  the  merry 
throng  that  blocked  the  streets. 

Huge  lanterns  of  glass,  paper,  gauze,  or  silk  shone  on 
every  hand ;  their  many-colored  lights  cast  odd  reflec- 
tions upon  the  faces  of  the  passers,  who,  as  they  changed 
position,  looked  pink,  blue,  lilac,  or  green.  The  horse  was 
somewhat  frightened  by  the  deafening  uproar  that  per- 
vaded Kioto.  There  were  shouts  of  laughter  from  women 
standing  before  a  puppet-show ;  a  tambourine  ringing  an 
incessant  accompaniment  to  the  marvellous  feats  of  a  band 
of  conjurors;  angry  cries  from  a  quarrel  degenerating 
into  a  brawl ;  a  silver  bell  struck  by  the  finger  of  fate  in 
response  to  some  sorcerer  who  foretold  the  future  to  an 
attentive  circle ;  the  shrill  songs  of  the  priests  of  Odji- 
gongem  performing  a  sacred  dance  in  the  garden  of  a 
pagoda;  then  the  clamor  of  a  whole  army  of  beggars, 
some  mounted  on  stilts,  others  accoutred  in  historic 
costume,  or  wearing  in  lieu  of  hat  a  vase  containing  a 
flourishing  shrub  in  full  bloom. 

Here  were  mendicant  friars,  clad  in  red,  with  shaven 
head,  puffing  up  their  cheeks  and  drawing  from  silver 
1  Royal  residence. 


54  THE   USURPER. 

whistles  sounds,  whose  acuteness  pierced  the  tumult  and 
rent  the  ear ;  priestesses  of  the  national  form  of  worship 
passed  along,  singing  and  waving  a  holy-water  sprinkler 
of  white  paper,  —  the  symbol  of  purity;  a  dozen  young 
bonzes  playing  on  all  sorts  of  instruments,  listened  eagerly, 
to  catch  the  measure  of  the  melody  which  they  were  ex- 
ecuting in  spite  of  the  general  commotion,  while  farther  on 
a  tortoise-charmer  beat  a  tam-tam  with  rapid  strokes,  and 
blind  men,  sitting  at  a  temple  door,  thumped  with  all 
their  might  on  bells  bristling  with  bronze  pimples. 

From  time  to  time  nobles  of  the  Mikado's  Court  forced 
their  way  through  the  crowd ;  they  were  going  incognito 
to  the  theatre  or  to  one  of  the  tea-houses  which  were  kept 
open  all  night,  and  in  which,  set  free  from  the  rigors  of 
etiquette,  they  could  drink  and  enjoy  themselves  at  their 
ease. 

Nagato,  too,  travelled  incognito  and  alone  ;  he  had  not 
even  an  out-runner  to  disperse  the  crowd  before  him.  He 
managed,  however,  to  leave  the  city  without  injuring  any 
one.  Then  he  gave  the  reins  to  his  impatient  steed,  who 
galloped  quickly  along  a  magnificent  avenue  of  sycamores, 
bordered  by  pagodas,  temples,  and  chapels,  which  glided 
swiftly  by  to  right  and  left,  and  from  which  a  fragment 
of  prayer  or  sacred  song  reached  his  ear.  Once  he 
turned  and  cast  a  long  look  behind.  He  saw  through  the 
branches  the  tomb  of  Taiko-Sama,  Fide-Yori's  father ;  he 
thought  that  the  ashes  of  that  great  man  must  quiver 
with  joy  as  he  who  bore  safety  to  his  son  passed  by. 
He  left  the  suburbs  behind  him  and  climbed  a  low 
hill. 

He  then  cast  a  last  look  on  that  city  so  dear  to  his 
heart.  It  was  wrapped  in  a  luminous  fog,  red  in  the 
midst  of  the  blue  light  cast  by  the  moon  upon  the  sur- 
rounding mountains.  On  the  slopes,  among  the  trees, 


THE   USURPER.  55 

scattered  roofs  of -pagodas  shone  like  mirrors.  The  golden 
chrysanthemum  which  surmounts  the  door  of  the  Dairi 
caught  a  ray,  and  looked  like  a  star  suspended  over 
the  city.  But  all  disappeared  behind  the  brow  of  the  hill ; 
the  last  sound  from  Kioto  faded  and  died. 

The  Prince  heaved  a  sigh ;  then,  urging  his  horse,  he 
flew  like  an  arrow  through  the  land.  He  passed  through 
several  villages  huddled  by  the  roadside,  and  at  the  end 
of  an  hour  reached  Yodo.  He  traversed  the  town 
without  slackening  pace,  and  rode  by  a  castle,  whose 
lofty  towers  were  brilliantly  lighted,  while  the  water  in 
the  moats  glittered  back  a  reflection. 

This  castle  belonged  to  Yodogimi,  the  Shogun's  mother ; 
it  was  then  inhabited  by  General  Harounaga,  a  favorite 
of  that  princess. 

"  I  have  little  confidence  in  the  valor  of  the  handsome 
warrior  who  sleeps  behind  those  ramparts,"  muttered  the 
Prince,  glancing  at  the  silent  castle.  A  moment  later  he 
was  galloping  through  a  rice-field. 

The  moon  was  mirrored  on  every  side  in  the  pools  of 
water  from  which  the  slender  blades  grew.  The  rice- 
plantation  looked  like  a  vast  pond  ;  delicate  white  vapors 
floated  here  and  there  in  sheets  close  to  the  ground,  and 
a  few  great  black  buffaloes  lying  half  in  the  water  slept 
quietly. 

Nagato  checked  his  panting  horse ;  soon  he  dropped 
the  bridle  on  its  neck,  and  bowing  his  head,  plunged  anew 
into  his  despotic  revery.  The  animal  fell  into  a  walk, 
and  the  pre-occupied  Prince  left  him  to  his  own  gait. 

Nagato  saw  once  more  the  brilliant  palace  halls,  and 
the  sovereign  advancing  towards  him  ;  he  fancied  he 
heard  again  the  rustle  of  her  robes.  "  Ah  !  "  he  exclaimed 
suddenly,  "  this  letter  which  has  lain  in  her  bosom  now 
rests  on  my-  heart  and  burns  me." 


56  THE   USURPER. 

He  drew  the  letter  hastily  from  his  breast. 

"  Alas  !  I  must  part  with  this  priceless  relic,"  he 
murmured. 

All  at  once  he  pressed  it  to  his  lips.  The  touch  of 
the  soft  stuff,  the  familiar  perfume  exhaled  from  it,  sent 
an  ardent  thrill  through  the  Prince's  veins.  He  shut 
his  eyes,  overcome  by  a  delicious  ecstasy. 

An  uneasy  neigh  from  his  horse  roused  him  from  his 
dream. 

He  restored  the  royal  missive  to  his  bosom  and 
looked  around  him.  Fifty  paces  in  front  of  him,  a  group 
of  trees  cast  its  shadow  across  the  road.  Nagato  thought 
he  saw  something  stir  in  that  shadow.  He  seized  the 
pike  fastened  to  his  saddle,' and  urged  on  his  horse,  which 
plunged  and  reared,  reluctant  to  advance. 

The  Prince's  doubts  were  soon  solved :  armed  men 
awaited  his  coming. 

"  What,  again  !  "  he  cried.  "  The  Regent  must  be 
very  anxious  to  get  rid  of- me." 

"  This  time  he  will  not  fail !  "  replied  one  of  the  as- 
sassins, riding  full  upon  him. 

"  You  have  not  got  me  yet ! "  said  Nagato,  turning  his 
horse  aside. 

His  opponent,  borne  onwards  by  the  impetus  of  his 
sally,  passed  close  by  him  without  reaching  him. 

"Rash  fool  that  I  am,"  muttered  the  Prince,  "thus 
to  expose  this  precious  paper  to  the  chances  of  my 
fate  !  " 

Naked  swords  gleamed  around  him.  His  assailants 
were  so  numerous  that  they  could  not  all  approach  the 
object  *of  their  attack  at  once. 

Nagato  was  the  most  skilful  fencer  in  the  entire 
kingdom ;  he  was  both  cool  and  daring.  Whirling  his 
pike  about  him,  he  broke  several  sword-blades,  the  splin- 


THE    USURPER.  57 

ters  falling  in  a  shower  of  blood  ;  then,  forcing  his  horse 
to  execute  a  series  of  rapid  leaps,  he  escaped  for  a 
moment  the  blows  which  were  aimed  at  him. 

"  I  can  certainly  defend  myself  for  a  few  instants 
more,"  he  thought,  "  but  I  am  plainly  lost." 

A  buffalo,  aroused,  uttered  a  long  and  melancholy 
bellow  ;  then  nothing  more  was  heard  but  the  clink  of 
steel  and  the  stamping  of  horses. 

But  suddenly  a  voice  rang  through  the  darkness. 
"  Courage,  Prince  !  "  it  cried  ;  "  we  come  to  your  aid  !" 

Nagato  was  covered  with  blood,  but  he  struggled 
bravely  still.  The  voice  lent  him  new  strength,  while  it 
paralyzed  the  assassins,  who  exchanged  anxious  glances. 

The  rapid  beat  of  horses'  hoofs  was  heard,  and  before 
any  recognition  was  possible,  a  body  of  horsemen  fell 
upon  the  assailants  of  the  Prince. 

Nagato,  exhausted,  withdrew  slightly  to  one  side,  and 
with  surprise  and  confusion  watched  the  defenders  who 
had  arrived  so  opportunely. 

These  men  were  beautiful  to  behold  in  the  moonlight, 
which  illumined  the  rich  embroideries  of  their  dress,  and 
drew  azure  sparkles  from  their  light  helmets,  decorated 
in  open-work.  The  Prince  recognized  the  costume  of 
the  Knights  of  Heaven,  the  Mikado's  guard  of  honor. 

Soon  nothing  was  left  of  the  assassins  despatched  by 
the  Regent,  but  corpses.  The  conquerors  wiped  their 
weapons,  and  the  leader  of  the  troop  approached  Nagato. 

"  Are  you  seriously  wounded,  Prince  1 "  he  asked. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  replied  Nagato ;  "  in  the  heat  of 
battle  I  felt  nothing." 

"  But  your  face  is  bathed  in  blood." 

"  True,"  said  the  Prince,  putting  his  hand  to  his 
cheek. 

"Will  you  dismount?" 


58  THE   USURPER. 

"  No ;  I  am  afraid  I  should  not  be  able  to  remount. 
But  talk  of  me  no  more;  let  me  thank  you  for  your 
miraculous  intervention,  which  saved  my  life,  and  ask 
you  by  what  chain  of  circumstances  you  were  on  this 
road  at  this  hour." 

"  I  will  tell  you  all  soon,"  said  the  knight ;  "  but  not 
before  you  have  dressed  the  wound  which  has  bled  so 
profusely." 

Water  was  brought  from  a  neighboring  pool,  and  the 
Prince's  face  was  washed  with  it ;  a  tolerably  deep  cut 
was  found  on  his  forehead,  near  the  temple.  Nothing 
could  be  done  for  the  time  being  but  to  bandage  his  head 
tightly. 

"  You  have  other  wounds,  have  you  not  1 " 

"  I  think  so  ;  but  I  feel  strong  enough  to  reach  Osaka." 

"  Very  well,  let  us  be  off !  "  said  the  knight ;  "  we  will 
talk  as  we  ride." 

The  little  troop  took  up  the  line  of  march. 

"  You  intend  to  escort  me  then  1 "  said  Nagato. 

"  We  are  ordered  not  to  leave  you,  Prince  ;  but  the 
accomplishment  of  that  duty  is  a  pleasure  to  us." 

"  Will  you  do  me  the  honor  to  acquaint  me  with  your 
glorious  name  1 "  said  Nagato,  bowing. 

"  You  know  me,  Nagato ;  I  am  Farou-So-Chan,  Lord  of 
Tsusima." 

"The  husband  of  the  lovely  Iza-Farou,  whom  I  had 
the  honor  of  seeing  this  very  day  ! "  exclaimed  Nagato. 
"  Forgive  me !  I  should  have  recognized  you  by  the  ter- 
rible blows  that  you  dealt  my  -  opponents ;  but  I  was 
blinded  by  blood." 

"  I  am  proud  and  happy  to  have  been  chosen  to  help 
you,  and  to  prevent  the  unfortunate  results  which  your 
reckless  daring  might  have  caused." 

"I    acted    with    unpardonable    levity   indeed,"    said 


THE   USURPER.  59 

Nagato ;  "  I  had  a  right  to  risk  my  life,  but  not  to  expose 
the  precious  message  which  I  bear." 

"  Let  me  tell  you,  dear  Prince,  that  the  envelope  which 
you  carry  contains  nothing  but  a  blank  paper." 

"  Is  it  possible  ] "  cried  Nagato ;  "  have  I  been  tricked  *? 
In  that  case  I  cannot  survive  the  affront." 

"  Calm  yourself,  friend,"  said  the  Prince  of  Tsusima, 
"  and  hear  me.  After  the  feast  this  evening,  no  sooner 
had  she  re-entered  her  apartments,  than  the  divine  Kis- 
aki  summoned  me  :  '  Farou,'  she  said,  '  Prince  Nagato 
leaves  Kioto  to-night.  I  know  that  his  life  is  in  danger, 
and  that  he  may  fall  into  an  ambuscade.  Therefore, 
instead  of  the  message  which  he  supposes  he  is  bearing, 
I  have  only  given  him  an  empty  envelope.  The  true 
letter  is  here,'  she  added,  showing  me  a  little  casket. 
'  Take  fifty  men  with  you,  and  follow  the  Prince  at  a 
distance.  If  he  is  attacked,  go  to  his  rescue ;  if  not,  rejoin 
him  at  the  gate  of  Osaka,  and  give  him  this  casket  with- 
out letting  him  know  that  you  have  borne  him  escort.' 
I  have  it  here,  Prince ;  only  you  have  a  matchless  horse, 
and  we  almost  came  too  late  to  help  you." 

Nagato  was  deeply  moved  by  this  revelation;  he  re- 
membered how  sweetly  the  sovereign  had  wished  him  a 
prosperous  journey,  and  could  not  help  seeing  a  sign  of 
interest  in  his  safety  in  what  had  taken  place.  And  then 
he  thought  that  he  might  now  retain  that  treasure,  that 
letter  which  she  had  worn  upon  her  heart  for  a  whole 
evening. 

The  rest  of  the  journey  was  silent.  Fever  had  seized 
Nagato  ;  the  chill  of  coming  dawn  made  him  shiver,  and 
he  began  to  feel  weakened  by  the  loss  of  blood.  When 
they  reached  the  gates  of  Osaka,  the  sun  had  risen. 
Tsusima  took  from  his  saddle-bow  a  finy  crystal  box, 
closed  by  a  cunningly  knotted  silk  cord. 


GO  THE   USURPER. 

"  Here,  Prince,"  said  he,  "  the  precious  letter  is  con- 
tained in  this  box.  Farewell !  May  your  wounds  be 
speedily  healed  !  " 

"  Farewell !  "  replied  Nagato ;  "  thanks  once  more  for 
risking  your  precious  life  for  mine,  which  is  of  small 
worth." 

Having  saluted  each  of  the  little  band  of  horsemen, 
Nagato  made  his  way  through  one  of  the  city  gates,  and 
pricking  his  horse,  soon  reached  the  palace. 

When  Loo  saw  his  master  enter,  pale  as  a  ghost,  and 
covered  with  blood,  he  fell  on  his  knees,  where  he 
remained  mute  with  amazement. 

"  Come,"  said  the  Prince,  "  shut  your  gaping  mouth, 
and  get  up ;  I  am  not  dead  yet.  Call  my  servants,  and 
run  for  the  doctor." 


THE   USURPER.  61 


CHAPTER  VL 
THE  FRATERNITY   OF   BLIND  MEN. 

A  FEW  hours  later,  groups  of  courtiers  stood  beneath 
the  veranda  of  the  palace  of  Hieyas ;  anxious  to 
be  the  first  to  greet  the  real  master,  they  awaited  his 
wakening.  Some  leaned  against  the  cedar  columns  that 
supported  the  roof,  others,  standing  firm  on  their  legs, 
one  hand  on  their  hip,  crumpling  the  silky  folds  of  their 
loose  tunic,  listened  to  one  of  their  number  as  he  told  an 
anecdote,  doubtless  very  entertaining,  for  it  was  followed 
with  the  utmost  attention,  and  the  auditors  let  fall  an 
occasional  laugh,  instantly  stifled  out  of  respect  for  the 
slumbers  of  the  illustrious  sleeper. 

The  narrator  was  the  Prince  of  Tosa,  and  the  Prince  of 
Nagato  the  hero  of  the  adventure  that  he  recounted. 

"  Yesterday,"  he  said,  "  the  sun  was  setting  when  I 
heard  a  noise  at  my  palaoe  gate.  I  went  to  the  window, 
and  saw  my  servants  wrangling  with  a  troop  of  blind 
men.  The  latter  were  bent  on  entering,  and  all  talked  at 
once,  striking  the  flagstones  with  their  sticks  ;  the  lackeys 
shouted  to  drive  them  off,  and  no  one  heard  what  the 
other  said.  I  was  beginning  to  lose  my  temper  at  the 
scene,  when  the  Prince  of  Nagato  appeared  ;  my  servants 
at  once  bowed  low  before  him,  and  at  his  order  admitted 
the  blind  men  into  the  pavilion  used  as  a  stable  for  the 
horses  of  my  visitors.  I  went  out  to  meet  the  Prince, 
curious  to  hear  an  explanation-,  of  this  comedy. 


62  THE    USURPER. 

"  '  Make  haste  ! '  he  said  as  he  entered,  throwing  a  bun- 
dle on  the  floor ;  *  let  us  take  off  our  robes,  and  dress  in 
these  costumes.' 

"  '  But  why  1 '  I  asked,  looking  at  the  costumes,  which 
were  little  to  my  taste. 

"  '  What ! '  said  he,  '  is  not  this  the  hour  when  we  may 
drop  the  weary  pomp  of  our  rank,  and  become  free  and 
happy  men  1 ' 

"  '  Yes,'  said  I ;  '  but  why  use  our  liberty  to  muffle 
ourselves  in  that  ugly  garb  1 ' 

"  '  You  shall  see  ;  I  have  a  scheme,'  said  the  Prince,  who 
was  already  disrobing ;  then,  putting  his  lips  to  my  ear, 
he  added, '  I  marry,  to-night.  You  '11  see  what  a  lark  it 
will  be.' 

"'What!  you're  going  to  be  married,  and  in  that 
dress  1 '  I  cried,  looking  at  the  Prince  in  his  beggarly 
disguise. 

"  '  Come,  hurry,'  he  said ;  '  or  we  sha'n't  find  the  bride.' 

The  Prince  was  half  way  downstairs.  I  quickly  donned 
a  dress  like  his,  and,  urged  by  curiosity,  followed  him. 

" '  But,'  I  exclaimed,  '  all  those  blind  men  whom  you 
quartered  in  the  stable  ] ' 

"  '  We  will  join  them.' 

" '  In  the  stable  ? '  I  asked. 

"  I  did  not  understand  a  blessed  thing  ;  but  I  had  con- 
fidence in  the  whimsical  fancy  of  the  Prince,  and  I  pa- 
tiently waited  for  him  to  solve  the  mystery.  The  blind 
men  had  collected  in  the  great  courtyard  of  the  palace, 
and  I  saw  that  we  were  dressed  precisely  like  them. 
The  poor  fellows  had  the  most  comical  faces  imaginable, 
with  their  lashless  eyelids,  their  flat  noses,  their  thick 
lips,  and  their  stupidly  happy  expression.  Nagato  put  a 
staff  in  my  hand,  and  said  :  '  Let  us  be  off.' 

"The  gates  were  thrown  open.    The  blind  men,  holding 


THE   USURPER.  63 

one  another  by  the  skirt,  started  out,  tapping  the  ground 
with  their  sticks  as  they  went.  Nagato,  bending  his  back 
and  shutting  his  eyes,  followed  in  their  rear.  I  saw  that  I 
was  expected  to  do  the  same,  and  I  tried  my  best  to  imi- 
tate him.  There  we  were  in  the  streets  in  the  train  of 
that  band  of  blind  men.  I  could  restrain  myself  no 
longer.  I  was  seized  with  a  frantic  fit  of  laughter,  which 
all  my  comrades  soon  shared." 

"  Nagato  has  certainly  lost  his  senses  ! "  cried  the 
Prince  of  Tosa's  hearers,  writhing  with  laughter. 

"  And  Tosa  was  scarcely  better  !  " 

"  The  Prince  of  Nagato,  he  never  laughed,"  continued 
the  story-teller ;  "  he  was  very  angry.  I  tried  to  find  out 
something  of  the  Prince's  plans  from  the  blind  man  near- 
est me,  but  he  knew -nothing  of  them.  I  only  learned 
that  the  corporation  of  which  I  formed  a  part  belonged  to 
that  confraternity  of  blind  men  whose  business  it  is  to  go 
among  the  middle  classes  to  rub  sick  people  and  those  who 
are  not  strong.  The  idea  that  we  might  perhaps  have  to 
rub  some  one,  sent  me  off  again  into  such  a  fit  of  merri- 
ment that,  in  spite  of  my  efforts  to  keep  a  straight  face 
to  please  the  Prince,  I  was  obliged  to  stop  and  sit  down 
on  a  stone  to  hold  my  sides. 

"  Nagato  was  furious.  'You '11  put  a  stop  to  my  mar- 
riage,' he  said. 

"  I  set  off  again,  winking  my  eyes  and  imitating  the 
gait  of  my  strange  fellow-travellers  as  best  J  could. 
They  struck  the  ground  with  their  sticks,  and.  at  this 
noise,  people  leaned  from  their  windows  and  called  them  in. 
In  this  way  we  came  to  a  house  of  poor  appearance.  The 
noise  of  sticks  was  redoubled.  A  voice  demanded  two 
shampooers. 

" '  Come,'  said  Nagato  to  me  ;  '  this  is  the  place.' 

"  Leaving  the  baud,  we  went  up  a  few  steps  and  found 


64  THE    USURPER. 

ourselves  in  the  house.  I  saw  two  women,  whom  Nagato 
awkwardly  saluted,  turning  his  back  to  them  as  he  did  so. 
I  hastily  shut  my  eyes  and  bowed  to  the  wall.  But 
I  managed  to  half  open  one  eye  again,  prompted  by 
curiosity.  There  were  a  young  girl  and  an  old  woman, 
probably  her  mother. 

"  '  Take  us  first,'  said  the  latter  ;  '  you  shall  rub  my 
husband  later.' 

"  She  then  squatted  on  the  floor  and  bared  her  back. 
I  foresaw  that  the  old  woman  would  fall  to  my  lot,  and 
that  I  must  certainly  play  the  part  of  shampooer.  Xagato 
was  lost  in  salutations. 

"  '  Ah  !  ah  !  ah  ! '  he  mumbled,  as  inferiors  do  when 
saluting  a  person  of  high  rank. 

"  I  began  to  rub  the  old  lady  violently,  and  she  uttered 
lamentable  groans ;  I  struggled  bravely  to  resist  the 
laugh  which  again  rose  in  my  throat  and  nearly  choked 
me.  The  girl  had  uncovered  one  shoulder,  modestly,  as 
if  we  had  had  eyes. 

"  '  It  is  there,'  she  said ;  '  I  gave  myself  a  blow,  and  the 
doctor  said  that  it  would  do  me  good  to  be  rubbed.' 

"Nagato  began  to  rub  the  young  girl  with  amazing 
gravity ;  but  all  at  once  he  seemed  to  forget  his  role  of 
blind  man. 

"  '  What  beautiful  hair  you  have  ! '  said  he.  '  There 's 
one  thing  certain  :  if  you  were  to  adopt  the  headdress  of 
noble  women,  you  would  not  have  to  resort,  as  they  do,  to 
"all  sorts  of  devices  for  lengthening  your  hair.' 

"  The  young  girl  gave  a  shriek  and  turned  round ;  she 
saw  Nagato's  very  wide  open  eyes  fixed  upon  her. 

"  '  Mother  ! '  she  exclaimed,  '  these  are  no  blind  men  ! ' 

"  The  mother  fell  flat  on  the  floor ;  and  surpi-ise  taking 
away  all  her  senses,  she  made  no  effort  to  rise,  but  began 
to  utter  yells  of  rare  shrillness. 


THE   USURPER.  65 

"  The  father  ran  in  in  a  fright. 

"  As  for  me,  I  gave  free  vent  to  my  mirth,  and  rolled 
on  the  ground,  unable  to  hold  in  longer.  To  my  great 
surprise,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  threw  himself  at  the  work- 
man's feet. 

"  '  Forgive  us,'  said  he.  '  Your  daughter  and  I  want  to 
be  married ;  and  as  I  have  no  money,  I  resolved  to  follow 
the  custom  of  the  country  and  carry  her  off,  to  avoid 
wedding  expenses.  According  to  custom  also,  you  must 
forgive  us,  after  playing  the  stern  parent  for  a  little 
while.' 

" '  I  marry  that  man ! '  said  the  girl ;  '  but  I  don't 
know  him  in  the  least.' 

"  '  You  think  my  daughter  would  take  a  scamp  like  you 
fora  husband]'  cried  the  father.  'Be  off!  out  of  the 
house  in  a  trice,  if  you  don't  want  to  be  acquainted  with 
my  fists.' 

"The  sound  of  his  angry  voice  began  to  attract  a 
crowd  before  the  house.  Nagato  gave  a  long-drawn 
whistle. 

"  '  Will  you  go  ! '  cried  the  man  of  the  people,  scarlet 
with  rage ;  and,  amidst  the  most  vulgar  insults  and  ob- 
jurgations, he  raised  his  fist  upon  Nagato. 

"  '  Do  not  strike  one  who  will  soon  be  your  son,'  said 
the  Prince,  catching  him  by  the  arm. 

"  '  You,  my  son  ?  You  will  sooner  see  the  snow  on  Fusi- 
yama  blossom  with  flowers.' 

"  '  I  swear  that  you  shall  be  my  father-in-law,'  said  the 
Prince,  throwing  his  arms  round  the  fellow's  waist. 

"  The  latter  struggled  in  vain ;  Nagato  bore  him  from 
the  house.  I  then  approached  the  balustrade,  and  saw 
the  crowd  collected  outside,  dispersed  by  the  runners  pre- 
ceding a  magnificent  procession,  —  music,  banners,  pal- 
anquins, all  bearing  the  Prince's  arms.  The  norimonos 

5 


66  THE   USURPER. 

stopped  at  the  door,  and  Nagato  stuffed  his  father-in-law 
into  one  of  them,  which  he  closed  and  fastened  with  a  pad- 
lock. I  saw  what  I  was  to  do ;  I  clutched  the  old  woman 
and  settled  her  in  another  palanquin,  while  Nagato  went 
back  to  get  the  girl.  Two  norimonos  received  us,  and 
the  procession  set  out,  while  the  music  sounded  gayly. 
We  soon  reached  a  charming  establishment  in  the  midst 
of  the  prettiest  garden  I  ever  saw.  Everything  was 
lighted  up ;  orchestras  hidden  among  the  foliage  played 
softly  ;  busy  servants  ran  to  and  fro. 

"  '  What  is  this  enchanting  palace  1 '  said  I  to  Nagato. 

"  '  Oh  !  a  trifle,'  he  answered  scornfully  ;  '  it  is  a  little 
house  which  I  bought  for  my  new  wife.' 

" '  He  is  crazy,'  thought  I, '  and  will  utterly  ruin  himself; 
but  that 's  not  my  affair.' 

"  We  were  led  into  a  room,  where  we  put  on  splendid 
dresses ;  then  we  went  down  into  the  banquet-hall,  where 
we  met  all  Nagato's  young  friends,  Satake,  Foungo,  Aki, 
and  many  others.  They  received  us  with  enthusiastic 
shouts.  Soon  the  bride,  superbly  dressed,  entered,  followed 
by  her  father  and  mother,  stumbling  over  the  folds  of  their 
silken  robes.  The  father  seemed  quite  calm,  the  mother 
was  flurried,  and  the  young  girl  so  astounded  that  she 
kept  her  pretty  mouth  wide  open.  Nagato  declared  that 
he  took  her  for  his  wife,  and  the  marriage  ceremony  was 
complete.  I  never  saw  so  merry  a  one.  The  feast  was 
most  delicate,  everybody  was  soon  drunk,  and  I  among  the 
rest ;  but  I  had  myself  carried  back  to  the  palace  about 
three  o'clock  for  a  brief  rest,  for  I  wanted  to  be  present 
this  morning  at  the  Regent's  levee." 

"  That  is  the  most  absurd  story  I  ever  heard,"  said  the 
Prince  of  Figo.  "  There  is  certainly  no  one  like  Nagato 
for  knowing  how  to  carry  out  a  joke." 

"  And  he  is  really  married  1 "  asked  another  lord. 


THE    USURPER.  67 

"  Very  really,"  said  the  Prince  of  Tosa;  "  the  marriage 
is  legal,  in  spite  of  the  woman's  low  rank." 

"  The  Prince  invents  new  follies  every  day,  and  gives 
splendid  feasts  ;  he  must  come  to  an  end  of  his  vast 
fortune  ere  long." 

"  If  he  is  ruined,  it  will  please  the  Regent,  who  does 
not  love  him  over  much." 

"  Yes  ;  but  it  will  grieve  the  Shogun,  who  is  exceedingly 
fond  of  him,  and  who  will  never  let  him  want  for  money." 

"  Hollo ! "  cried  the  Prince  of  Tosa,  "  there  comes  Nagato 
back  to  the  palace." 

A  procession  was  indeed  passing  through  the  gardens. 
On  the  banners  and  on  the  norimono,  borne  by  twenty 
men,  were  visible  the  insignia  of  the  Prince,  —  a  black  bolt 
surmounting  three  balls  in  pyramidal  form.  The  cortege 
marched  quite  near  the  veranda  which  sheltered  the 
nobles,  and  through  the  curtains  of  the  norimono  they 
saw  the  young  Prince  dozing  on  his  cushions. 

"  He  surely  won't  come  to  the  Regent's  levee,"  said 
one  lord ;  "  he  would  run  the  risk  of  falling  asleep  on  the 
shoulder  of  Hieyas." 

"  Nagato  never  comes  to  pay  his  respects  to  Hieyas ; 
he  detests  him  profoundly ;  he  is  his  avowed  enemy." 

"  Such  an  enemy  is  not  much  to  be  feared,"  said  the 
Prince  of  Tosa.  "  On  his  return  from  these  nightly  esca- 
pades he  is  only  fit  for  sleeping." 

"  I  don't  know  whether  that  is  the  Regent's  opinion." 

"  If  he  thought  otherwise,  would  he  endure  from  him 
insults  serious  enough  to  condemn  him  to  hari-kiri  1  If 
the  Prince  still  lives,  he  owes  it  to  the  clemency  of  Hieyas." 

"  Or  to  the  loving  protection  of  Fide-Yori." 

11  Doubtless  Hieyas  is  only  generous  through  regard 
for  the  master ;  but  if  all  his  enemies  were  of  Nagato's 
mind,  he  might  esteem  himself  happy." 


68  THE   USURPER. 

While  the  courtiers  thus  chatted  away  the  time  of  wait- 
ing for  his  waking,  Hieyas,  who  had  risen  long  before,  paced 
his  chanrber,  anxious,  uneasy,  bearing  on  his  care-worn  face 
the  marks  of  sleeplessness. 

A  man  stood  near  the  Regent,  leaning  against  the 
wall ;  he  watched  him  stride  up  and  down ;  this  man  was 
a  former  groom,  named  Faxibo.  Hostlers  had  enjoyed 
considerable  favor  since  the  accession  to  power  of  Taikor 
Sama,  who  was  originally  an  hostler.  Faxibo  was  deeper 
than  any  other  person  in  the  confidence  of  the  Regent, 
who  hid  nothing  froih  him,  and  even  thought  aloud  in  his 
presence. 

Hieyas  constantly  raised  the  blind  from  the  window  and 
looked  out. 

"  Nothing,"  he  said  impatiently  ;  "  no  news.  It  is  in- 
comprehensible." 

"  Be  patient  for  a  few  moments  more,"  said  Faxibo ; 
"  those  whom  you  sent  out  upon  the  Kioto  road  cannot 
have  returned  yet." 

"  But  the  others  !  There  were  forty  of  them,  and  not 
one  has  returned  !  If  he  has  escaped  me  again,  it  is  mad- 
dening." 

"  Perhaps  you  exaggerate  the  man's  importance,"  said 
Faxibo.  "  It  is  a  love-affair  that  attracts  him  to  Kioto  ; 
his  head  is  full  of  follies." 

"  So  you  think ;  and  I  confess  that  this  man  terrifies 
me,"  said  the  Regent  vehemently,  pausing  before  Faxibo. 
"  No  one  ever  knows  what  he  is  doing ;  you  think  him 
here,  he  is  there.  He  outwits  the  most  cunning  spies  : 
one  declares  that  he  followed  him  to  Kioto,  another  swears 
that  he  has  not  lost  sight  of  him  for  an  instant,  and  that 
he  has  not  left  Osaka ;  all  his  friends  supped  with  him, 
while  he  was  fighting  on  his  return  from  the  Miako  *  with 
1  That  is  to  say,  the  capital. 


THE    USURPER.  69 

men  stationed  by  me.  I  think  him  asleep,  or  busy  with 
his  own  affairs :  one  of  my  schemes  is  on  the  eve  of  suc- 
cess ;  his  hand  descends  upon  me  at  the  last,  moment. 
The  empire  would  long  since  have  been  ours  if  it  had  not 
been  for  him ;  my  partisans  are  numerous,  but  his  are  no 
less  strong,  and  he  has  the  right  on  his  side.  Stay  :  that 
plan  which  I  had  so  skilfully  arranged  to  rid  the  country, 
under  the  guise  of  accident,  of  a  sovereign  without  talent 
and  without  energy,  — that  plan  which  was  to  throw  the 
power  into  my  hands,  —  who  frustrated  it  ?  Who  was  the 
accursed  coachman  who  urged  that  infernal  team  across 
the  bridge  ]  Nagato  !  He,  always  he.  However,"  added 
Hieyas,  "  some  one  else,  one  of  my  allies,  must  have  played 
the  traitor,  for  it  is  impossible  that  any  other  can  have 
guessed  the  scheme.  Ah  !  if  I  knew  the  villain's  name,  I 
would  at  least  gratify  myself  by  an  awful  revenge." 

"  I  told  you  what  I  was  able  to  discover,"  said  Fax- 
ibo.  "  Fide-Yori  exclaimed  at  the  moment  of  the  crash  : 
'  Omiti,  you  were  right  ! ' ' 

"  Omiti !  Who  is  Omiti  1  I  do  not  know  the 
name." 

The  Regent  had  advanced  into  the  hall  adjoining  his 
chamber,  which  was  divided,  by  a  large  screen  only,  from 
the  veranda  where  the  nobles  were  awaiting  his  coming. 
From  within,  this  screen  admitted  of  seeing  without 
being  seen.  Hieyas  heard  the  name  of  Nagato  uttered ; 
he  approached  eagerly,  and  signed  to  Faxibo  to  come 
close  to  him.  Thus  they  heard  the  whole  story  of  the 
Prince  of  Tosa. 

"  Yes,"  muttered  Hieyas ;  "  for  a  long  time  I  took  him 
for  a  man  of  dissolute  morals  and  of  no  political  impor- 
tance ;  that  was  why  I  at  first  favored  his  intimacy  with 
Fide-Yori.  How  deeply  I  repent  it,  now  that  I  know 
what  he  is  worth  ! " 


70  THE    USURPER. 

"You  see,  master,"  said  Faxibo,  "that  the  Prince, 
doubtless  warned  of  your  project,  did  not  quit  Osaka." 

"I  tell  you  he  was  at  the  Miako,  and  did  not  leave 
there  until  far  on  in  the  night." 

"  And  yet  the  Prince  of  Tosa  was  with  him  until  very 
late." 

"  One  of  my  spies  followed  him  to  Kioto  ;  he  entered 
the  city  in  broad  daylight,  and  remained  there  until 
midnight." 

"  It  is  incomprehensible,"  said  Faxibo.  "  Stay  !  there 
he  is,  going  home,"  he  added,  seeing  Nagato's  pro- 
cession. 

"Is  it  really  he  who  occupies  the  litter1?"  asked 
Hieyas,  trying  to  look  out. 

"  I  think  I  recognized  him,"  replied  Faxibo. 

"  Impossible  !  it  cannot  be  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  unless 
it  be  his  corpse." 

At  this  moment  a  man  entered  the  chamber,  and 
prostrated  himself  with  his  face  on  the  ground. 

"It  is  my  envoy,"  cried  Hieyas.  "Speak  quickly, 
come!  What  have  you  learned1?"  he  cried  to  the  mes- 
senger. 

"  I  went  to  the  part  of  the  road  to  which  you  directed 
me,  all-powerful  master,"  said  the  envoy.  "At  that 
spot  the  ground  was  strewn  with  corpses;  I  counted 
forty  men  and  fifteen  horses.  Peasants  were  hovering 
around  the  dead ;  some  felt  of  them,  to  see  if  there  were 
no  lingering  trace  of  life.  Others  pursued  the  wounded 
horses,  which  were  running  about  the  rice-fields.  I  asked 
what  had  happened.  They  told  me  that  no  one  knew ; 
but  at  sunrise  they  saw  a  band  of  horsemen  pass,  belong- 
ing to  the  divine  Mikado ;  they  were  on  their  way  to 
Kioto.  As  for  the  corpses  lying  by  the  roadside,  red 
with  their  blood,  they  all  wore  dark  costumes,  without 


THE    USURPER.  71 

any  armorial  bearings,  and  their  faces  were  half  hidden 
by  their  headdress,  after  the  fashion  of  bandits  and 
assassins." 

"  Enough  !  "  exclaimed  Hieyas,  frowning ;  "  go  !  " 

The  envoy  retired,  or  rather  fled. 

"  He  has  escaped  me  again,"  said  Hieyas.  "  Well ! 
I  must  deal  the  blow  with  my  own  hand.  The  end  which 
I  would  attain  is  so  noble,  that  I  should  not  hesitate  to 
use  infamous  means  to  overthrow  the  obstacles  which 
rise  in  my  path.  Faxibo,"  he  added,  turning  to  the  ex- 
groom,  "  usher  in  those  who  wait.  Their  presence  may 
drive  away  the  sad  forebodings  which  oppressed  me  all 
night." 

Faxibo  lifted  aside  the  screen,  and  the  nobles  entered 
one  after  another  to  greet  the  master.  Hieyas  observed 
that  the  courtiers  were  less  numerous  than  usual ;  none 
were  present  except  those  princes  who  were  wholly  de- 
voted to  his  cause,  and  some  few  indifferent  people  who 
soxight  a  special  favor  of  the  Regent. 

Hieyas,  still  talking  with  the  lords,  moved  out  upon 
the  veranda  and  looked  around. 

It  seemed  to  him  that  an  unusual  bustle  pervaded  the 
palace  courts.  Messengers  were  starting  off  every  mo- 
ment, and  princes  coming  up  in  their  noriruonos,  in  spite 
of  the  early  hour.  All  were  proceeding  towards  Fide- 
Yori's  palace. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  thought  he;  "whence  comes 
all  this  stir  ]  what  mean  these  messengers  bearing  orders 
of  which  I  know  nothing]  "  And,  full  of  alarm,  he 
dismissed  the  lords  with  a  gesture. 

"  You  will  excuse  me,  I  know,"  he  said ;.  "  the  interests 
of  the  country  call  me." 

But  before  the  princes  had  taken  leave,  a  soldier 
entered  the  room. 


72  THE   USURPER. 

"The  Shogun,  Fide-Yori,  begs  the  illustrious  Hieyas 
to  be  good  enough  to  come  before  his  presence  at  once," 
said  he  ;  and  without  waiting  for  an  answer,  he  de- 
parted. 

Hieyas  stopped  the  lords  who  were  about  to  leave. 

"  "Wait  for  me  here,"  he  said ;  "  I  do  not  know  what 
is  going  on,  but  I  am  devoured  by  anxiety.  You  are 
devoted  to  me;  I  may  possibly  need  you." 

He  saluted  them  with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  and  went 
slowly  out,  his  head  bent,  followed  only  by  Faxibo. 


THE   USURPER.  73 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PERJURY. 

"TTTHEN  he  entered  the   hall   where   Fide-Yori   was 

*  *  waiting  for  him,  Hieyas  saw  that  something  im- 
portant was  about  to  occur. 

All  the  party  devoted  to  the  son  of  Taiko-Sama  were 
assembled  there. 

Fide-Yori  wore  for  the  first  time,  that  warlike  and  royal 
costume  which  he  alone  had  the  right  to  assume.  The 
cuirass  of  black  horn  girt  his  body,  and  heavy  skirts,  made 
of  a  series  of  plates  fastened  together  by  stitches  of  red 
silk,  fell  over  a  pair  of  loose  trousers  confined  from  the 
ankle  to  the  knee  by  velvet  gaiters.  He  had  a  sword  on 
his  left  side,  and  another  on  the  right.  Three  golden 
stars  glittered  on  his  breast;  his  hand  rested  upon  an 
iron  wand.  The  young  man  was  seated  on  a  folding 
stool  such  as  warriors  use  in  their  tents. 

On  his  right  stood  his  mother,  the  beautiful  Yodo- 
gimi,  pale  and  nervous,  but  splendidly  arrayed ;  on  his 
left,  the  Prince  of  Mayada,  who  shared  the  regency  with 
Hieyas ;  but  being  very  old,  and  for  some  time  past  an 
invalid,  this  Prince  held  himself  aloof  from  business  mat- 
ters. He  however  kept  watch  over  Hieyas,  and  maintained 
the  interests  of  Fide-Yori  as  far  as  possible. 

On  one  side  were  the  princes  of  Satsuma,  Satake, 
Arima,  Aki,  and  Issida ;  on  the  other,  the  warriors,  — 


74  THE    USURPER. 

General  Sanada-Sayemon- Yoke-Mo ura  at  their  head, — in 
battle  array ;  Aroufza,  Moto-Tsoumou,  Harounaga,  Mor- 
itska,  and  a  very  beautiful  and  serious  young  man, 
named  Signenari. 

All  the  Shogun's  friends,  in  fact,  and  all  the  mortal 
enemies  of  the  Regent  were  assembled ;  yet  Nagato 
was  absent. 

Hieyas  cast  a  haughty  glance  around  the  assembly. 

"  Here  I  am,"  he  said,  in  a  firm  voice  ;  "  I  am  wait- 
ing. What  are  your  wishes'?" 

A  profound  silence  was  the  only  answer.  Fide-Yori 
turned  away  his  eyes  from  him  in  horror. 

At  last  the  Prince  of  Mayada  began  to  speak. 

"  We  wish  nothing  from  you  but  justice,"  said  he  ; 
"  we  would  simply  recall  to  you  a  fact  which  you  seem 
to  have  forgotten,  —  that  your  term  of  regency  as  well  as 
mine,  expired  some  months  since,  Hieyas ;  and  in  your 
zeal  for  governing  the  empire  you  have  not  heeded  this. 
The  son  of  Taiko-Sama  is  now  of  a  fit  age  to  reign  ; 
your  rule  is  therefore  over.  It  only  remains  for  you  to 
lay  down  your  powers  at  the  master's  feet,  and  render 
him  an  account  of  your  conduct,  as  I  shall  render  an 
account  of  my  actions  while  he  was  under  our  tute- 
lage." 

"You  do  not  consider  what  you  say,"  cried  Hieyas, 
his  face  growing  purple  with  rage ;  "  you  apparently 
mean  to  urge  the  country  to  its  ruin  !" 

"I  have  spoken  gently,"  replied  Mayada;  "do  not 
force  me  to  assume  a  different  tone." 

"You  desire  an  inexperienced  child,"  continued  Hieyas, 
heedless  of  the  interruption,  "to  wield  the  power  before 
he  has  had  any  practice  in  the  difficult  profession  of  the 
head  of  a  nation.  It  is  as  if  you  put  a  heavy  porcelain 
vase  into  the  hands  of  a  new-born  babe  :  he  would  let  it 


THE   USURPER.  75 

fall  to  the  ground,  and  the  vase  would  break  into  a 
thousand  bits." 

"  You  insult  our  Shogun ! "  exclaimed  the  Prince  of 
Satake. 

"  No,"  said  Hieyas  ;  "  Fide-Yori  himself  will  agree  with 
me.  I  must  initiate  him  slowly  into  my  labors,  and 
point  out  to  him  the  possible  solutions  of  the  questions 
now  in  debate.  Has  he  ever  paid  any  heed  to  the  affairs 
of  the  nation  1  His  young  intelligence  was  not  yet  ripe, 
and  I  spared  him  the  fatigues  of  government.  I  alone  pos- 
sess the  instructions  of  the  great  Taiko,  and  I  alone  can 
carry  on  the  vast  work  which  he  undertook.  The  task  is 
not  yet  accomplished.  Therefore,  in  obedience  to  that 
venerated  chief,  I  must,  in  spite  of  your  opinion,  retain  in 
my  own  hands  the  power  intrusted  to  me  by  him ;  but, 
to  show  you  how  highly  I  esteem  your  advice,  from  this 
day  forth  the  youthful  Fide-Yori  shall  share  the  grave 
cares  whose  burden  I  have  hitherto  borne  alone.  An- 
swer, Fide-Yori,"  added  Hieyas;  "say  for  yourself  if  I 
have  spoken  after  your  own  heart." 

Fide-Yori  slowly  turned  his  ashen  face  towards  Hieyas 
and  gazed  at  him  fixedly.  Then,  after  a  moment's  si- 
lence, he  said  in  a  voice  somewhat  trembling,  although 
full  of  scorn  :  "  The  noise  made  by  Swallow  bridge  as 
it  fell  beneath  my  tread  has  not  made  me  deaf  to  your 
voice." 

Hieyas  turned  pale  before  him  whom  he  had  striven  to 
send  to  his  death ;  he  was  humbled  by  his  crime.  His 
lofty  intelligence  suffered  from  these  spots  of  blood  and 
dirt  which  bespattered  it ;  he  saw  them  in  the  future 
darkening  his  name,  which  he  longed  to  render  glorious, 
certain  that  his  duty  towards  his  country  was  to  keep  iu 
his  own  hands  the  power  of  which  he  was  worthier  than 
any  other.  He  felt  a  sort  of  indignation  at  being  obliged 


76  THE    USURPER. 

to  compel  by  force  that  which  public  interest  should 
have  eagerly  required  of  him.  However,  resolved  to 
struggle  to  the  end,  he  raised  his  head,  bowed  for  an  in- 
stant beneath  the  weight  of  tumultuous  thoughts,  and 
cast  a  savage  and  overbearing  glance  around  the  room. 

A  threatening  silence  had  followed  the  Shogun's  words. 
It  was  prolonged  until  it  became  painful ;  the  Prince  of 
Satsuma  broke  it  at  last. 

"  Hieyas,"  he  said,  "  I  summon  you  in  my  master's 
name  to  lay  down  the  powers  with  which  you  were 
invested  by  Taiko-Sama." 

"  I  refuse  !  "  said  Hieyas. 

A  cry  of  amazement,  escaped  from  the  lips  of  all  the 
nobles.  The  Prince  of  Mayada  rose  ;  he  advanced  slowly 
towards  Hieyas,  and  drew  from  his  breast  a  paper  yellowed 
by  age. 

"  Do  you  recognize  this  1 "  said  he,  unfolding  the  writ- 
ing, which  he  held  before  the  eyes  of  Hieyas.  "  Was  it 
indeed  with  your  blood  that  you  traced  your  traitorous 
name  here  side  by  side  with  my  loyal  one  1  Have  you  for- 
gotten the  form  of  the  oath,  — '  The  powers  which  you  in- 
trust to  us  we  will  restore  to  your  child  upon  his  majority ; 
we  swear  it  on  the  remains  of  our  ancestors,  before  the 
luminous  disk  of  the  sun '  1  Taiko  fell  peacefully  asleep 
when  he  saw  those  few  scarlet  lines ;  to-day  he  will  rise 
from  his  tomb,  perjurer,  to  curse  you." 

The  old  man,  trembling  with  anger,  crumpled  in  his 
hands  the  oath  written  in  blood  and  flung  it  in  Hieyas' 
face. 

"  But  do  you  really  think  that  we  shall  let  you  thus 
despoil  our  child  before  our  eyes  1 "  he  continued.  "  Do 
you  think,  because  you  do  not  choose  to  give  up  what 
you  have  taken,  that  we  will  not  wrest  it  from  you  ?  The 
crimes  which  you  plot  have  clouded  your  intellect ;  you 


THE    USURPER.  77 

have  no  soul  or  honor  left ;  you  dare  to  stand  erect 
before  your  master,  —  before  him  whom  you  strove 
to  kill!" 

"  He  not  only  tried  to  take  rny  life,"  said  Fide-Yori ; 
"  that  man,  more  savage  than  the  tiger,  has  this  night 
caused  the  murder  of  my  most  faithful  servant,  my 
dearest  friend,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  !  " 

A  shudder  of  horror  passed  over  the  assembly,  while  a 
flash  of  joy  illumined  the  eyes  of  Hieyas. 

"  Rid  of  that  formidable  foe,"  he  thought,  "  I  shall 
soon  master  Fide-Yori." 

As  if  replying  to  his  thought,  the  voice  of  Nagato  was 
heard.  "  Do  not  rejoice  too  soon,  Hieyas,"  it  said ; 
"  I  am  alive,  and  still  in  condition  to  serve  my  young 
master." 

Hieyas  turned  quickly,  and  saw  the  Prince,  who  had 
just  lifted  a  heavy  curtain,  and  now  entered  the  hall. 

Nagato  looked  like  a  ghost ;  his  eyes,  glittering  with 
the  light  of  fever,  seemed  larger  and  blacker  than  usual. 
His  face  was  so  pale  that  it  could  hardly  be  distinguished 
from  the  narrow  white  bandage  spotted  with  blood  which 
bound  his  head.  A  spasm  of  pain  shook  his  limbs, 
and  caused  a  crystal  box  that  sparkled  in  his  hand  to 
quiver. 

General  Yoke-Moura  ran  to  him. 

"  What  madness,  Prince ! "  he  cried,  "  to  rise  and 
walk,  after  losing  so  much  blood,  and  in  spite  of  the 
orders  of  your  doctors !  " 

"  Bad  friend  !  "  said  Fide-Yori,  "  will  you  never  cease  to 
play  with  your  life  1 " 

"  I  will  become  the  slave  of  the  doctors  in  obedience 
to  the  undeserved  interest  that  you  take  in  me,"  said 
the  Prince,  "  when  I  have  fulfilled  the  mission  with  which 
1  am  charged." 


78  THE   USURPER. 

Hieyas,  filled  with  alarm,  had  taken  refuge  in  utter 
silence  ;  he  watched  and  waited,  casting  frequent  glances 
at  the  door,  as  if  anxious  to  escape. 

"  I  should  offer  you  this  casket  on  my  knees,  and  you 
should  receive  it  on  your  knees,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  for  it 
contains  a  message  from  your  lord  and  master  and  ours, 
from  him  who  holds  his  power  from  Heaven,  from  the 
all-powerful  Mikado." 

Nagato  prostrated  himself  and  offered  the  casket  to 
the  Shogun,  who  bent  his  knee  as  he  took  it. 

Hieyas  felt  sure  that  this  casket  contained  his  final 
doom ;  and  he  thought  that  now,  as  always,  it  was  the 
Prince  of  Nagato  who  triumphed  over  him. 

Meanwhile  Fide-Yori  had  unfolded  the  Mikado's  mes- 
sage and  ran  his  eye  over  it.  An  expression  of  joy 
irradiated  his  countenance.  He  raised  his  eyes,  wet 
with  tears,  to  Nagato,  thinking  in  his  turn  that  it  was 
always  through  him  that  he  triumphed. 

"  Prince  of  Satsuma,"  said  he,  extending  the  letter  to 
the  aged  lord,  "read  this  divine  writing  aloud  to  us." 

The  Prince  of  Satsuma  read  as  follows  :  — 

"  I,  the  direct  descendant  of  the  Gods  who  founded  Japan,  I 
lower  my  eyes  to  the  earth,  and  I  see  that  much  time  has  elapsed 
since  the  death  of  that  faithful  servant  of  my  dynasty,  Taiko-Sama, 
whom  my  predecessor  named  General-in-chief  of  the  kingdom. 
The  son  of  that  illustrious  leader,  who  rendered  great  services  to  the 
country,  was  six  years  old  when  his  father  died  ;  but  time  has  sped 
for  him  as  for  all  men,  and  he  is  now  of  an  age  to  succeed  his 
father;  wherefore  I  name  him  in  his  turn  General-in-chief  of  the 
kingdom. 

"  In  a  few  days  the  knights  of  Heaven  shall  solemnly  announce 
to  him  my  will  and  pleasure,  that  none  may  be  ignorant  of  it. 

"  Now,  trusting  to  Fide-Yori  the  cares  of  government,  I  replunge 
myself  in  the  mysterious  absorption  of  my  superhuman  dream. 

"  Given  at  the  Dairi,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  Nengo-Kai-Tio 
(164).  "  Go-MiTzou-No." 


THE   USURPER.  79 

"  That  is  unanswerable,"  said  Hieyas,  bowing  his  head ; 
"  the  supreme  master  has  ordered,  —  I  obey.  I  lay  down 
the  powers  which  were  confided  to  me ;  and  after  the  in- 
sults to  which  I  have  submitted,  I  know  what  remains  for 
me  to  do.  I  hope  that  those  who  have  managed  this 
matter  may  not  repent  their  success  some  day,  and  that 
the  country  may  not  have  cause  to  groan  under  the 
weight  of  misfortune  which  may  befall  it." 

He  went  out,  after  uttering  these  words,  and  all  the 
lords  rejoicing,  gathered  around  the  young  Shogun  and 
congratulated  him. 

"  You  should  congratulate  my  friend  and  brother, 
^Nagato,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "  it  was  he  who  accomplished 
everything." 

"All  is  not  ended  yet,"  said  Nagato,  who  seemed 
thoughtful ;  "  you  must  instantly  sign  Hieyas'  death- 
warrant." 

"  But  you  heard  what  he  said,  friend  ;  he  said  that 
he  knew  what  remained  for  him  to  do.  He  is  even  now 
about  to  perform  the  hari-kiri." 

"  Certainly,"  said  the  Prince  of  Satsuma. 

"  He  knows  the  code  of  nobility,"  said  the  Prince  of 
Aki. 

"  Yes ;  but  he  despises  its  customs,  and  will  not  con- 
form to  them,"  said  Nagato.  "  If  we  do  not  promptly 
condemn  that  man,  he  will  escape  us;  and  once  free,  he 
js  capable  of  daring  anything." 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  had  unfolded  a  roll  of  white 
paper,  and  offered  a  brush  dipped  in  ink  to  the  Shogun. 

Fide-Yori  seemed  to  waver.  "  To  condemn  him  thus 
without  a  trial !  "  he  said. 

"  A  trial  is  of  no  avail,"  replied  Nagato.  "  He  has  per- 
jured himself,  and  failed  in  respect  to  you  before  the  whole 
Council ;  moreover  he  is  an  assassin." 


80  THE   USURPER. 

"  He  is  my  wife's  grandfather,"  murmured  the  Shogun. 

"  You  can  repudiate  your  wife,"  said  Nagato.  "  While 
Hieyas  lives,  there  can  be  no  peace  for  you,  no  safety  for 
the  country." 

Fide-Yori  seized  the  brush,  wrote  the  warrant,  and 
signed  it. 

Nagato  handed  the  order  to  General  Sanada-Sayemon- 
Yoke-Moura,  who  instantly  left  the  room. 

He  soon  returned,  his  countenance  disfigured  by  wrath. 
"  Too  late  ! "  he  cried ;  "  the  Prince  of  Nagato  was  right : 
Hieyas  has  fled !" 


THE   USURPER.  81 


CHAPTER  VIIL 

THE    CASTLE  OF    OWARI. 

Ox  the  shores  of  the  Pacific  Ocean,  at  the  top  of  a 
rocky  cliff,  stands  the  fortress  of  the  Princes  of  Owari.  Its 
walls,  pierced  with  loopholes,  are  so  constructed  as  to 
follow  the  lay  of  the  land.  They  are  masked  here  and 
there  by  groups  of  trees  and  shrubs,  whose  fresh  verdure 
is  in  happy  contrast  with  the  ragged  walls  of  rust-colored 
rock. 

From  the  summit  of  the  fortress  the  view  is  very  fine. 
A  little  bay  rounds  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  affords  safe 
shelter  for  the  junks  and  barks  which  skim  the  clear 
water  in  all  directions  ;  farther  away  the  blue  waves  of  the 
Pacific  trace  a  darker  line  against  the  sky.  On  the  land- 
ward side  rises  a  chain  of  mountains,  cultivated  in  patches 
to  their  very  tops.  Between  the  mountains  lie  valleys, 
where  we  may  see  villages  nestling  in  a  grove,  near  a 
brook ;  then  the  valleys  end  in  the  heart  of  more  hills. 

A  broad  and  well-kept  road  winds  along  the  undulating 
ground  to  the  foot  oi  the  castle  of  Owari.  This  road, 
known  as  the  Tokaido,  was  built  by  Taiko-Sama  ;  it  in- 
tersects the  entire  kingdom,  traversing  the  domains  of  the 
Daimios,  and  is  under  the  sole  jurisdiction  of  the  Shogun. 

The  Prince  who  ruled  over  the  province  of  Owari  was 
at  this  time  living  in  his  castle. 

About  the  third  hour  after  noon  on  the  day  that 
Hieyas  fled  from  Osaka,  the  sentinel  posted  on  the  loftiest 

6 


82  THE    USURPER. 

tower  of  the  palace  of  Owari  cried  out  that  he  saw  a  troop 
of  horsemen  galloping  along  the  Tokaido.  The  Prince 
was  at  the  moment  in  one  of  the  courts  of  the  castle, 
crouched  upon  his  heels,  his  hands  resting  on  his  thighs. 
He  was  attending  a  lesson  in  hari-kiri  taken  by  his  young 
son. 

The  child,  seated  on  a  mat  in  the  centre  of  the  court, 
held  in  both  hands  a  short,  blunt  sword,  and  raised  his 
pretty  artless  face,  already  serious  in  its  cast,  towards  his 
instructor,  seated  opposite  him.  Women  were  looking 
on  from  a  gallery  above  ;  and  their  dresses  made  bright 
spots  of  color  against  the  delicate  tints  of  the  carved  wood- 
work. Enormous  butterflies,  birds,  flowers,  or  variega- 
ted balls  were  embroidered  on  their  robes  ;  every  head 
was  bristling  with  big  yellow  tortoise-shell  pins.  They 
chattered  together  with  a  thousand  bewitching  airs  and 
graces. 

In  the  court,  leaning  against  the  upright  post  of  a 
bronze  lantern,  a  young  girl  in  a  closely  fitting  dress  of 
sky-blue  crape,  with  all  the  folds  drawn  to  the  front, 
fixed  an  absent  gaze  upon  the  little  lord  ;  in  her  hand  she 
held  a  screen,  upon  which  was  painted  a  humming-bird. 

"  Hold  the  sword  firmly,"  said  the  teacher;  "  apply  it 
by  the  point,  below  the  left  ribs ;  be  careful  that  the  edge  of 
the  blade  is  turned  to  the  right.  Now  grasp  the  hilt  in 
your  hand,  and  bear  on  with  all  your  strength ;  then  quickly, 
without  moderating  your  pressure,  move  your  weapon 
horizontally  towards  your  right  side.  In  this  way  you  will 
cleave  your  body  in  twain  according  to  strict  rule." 

The  child  went  through  the  motions  with  such  violence 
that  he  tore  his  robe. 

"  Good  !  good  !  "  exclaimed  the  Prince  of  Owari,  striking 
his  thighs  with  his  open  hands.  "  The  little  fellow  has 
plenty  of  courage  ! " 


THE   USURPER.  83 

At  the  same  time  he  raised  his  eyes  to  the  women 
leaning  from  the  balcony,  and  imparted  his  impression 
to  them  by  a  sign  of  the  head. 

"  He  will  be  brave  and  intrepid  as  his  father,"  said  one 
of  them. 

It  was  just  then  that  news  was  brought  to  the  Prince  of 
the  appearance  of  a  band  of  horsemen  on  the  royal  road. 

"  Doubtless  a  neighboring  lord  coming  to  visit  me  in- 
cognito," said  the  Prince  ;  "  or  else  these  horsemen  are 
merely  passing  travellers.  At  any  rate,  there  is  no  reason 
to  interrupt  the  lesson." 

The  teacher  then  made  his  pupil  repeat  the  list  of  inci- 
dents which  oblige  a  man  of  noble  race  to  rip  himself 
open ;  namely,  to  incur  the  displeasure  of  the  Shogun,  or 
receive  from  him  a  public  reprimand ;  to  disgrace  himself; 
to  avenge  an  insult  by  slaying  its  originator  ;  voluntarily 
or  involuntarily  to  permit  the  escape  of  prisoners  intrusted 
to  one's  care  ;  and  innumerable  other  nice  cases. 

"Add,"  said  the  Prince  of  Owari,  "to  be  wanting  in 
respect  to  one's  father.  In  my  opinion,  a  son  who  insults 
his  parents  can  only  expiate  that  crime  by  performing 
hari-kiri." 

At  the  same  time  he  cast  another  look  at  the  women, 
which  meant :  "  It  is  well  to  inspire  children  with  a  dread 
of  paternal  authority. 

At  this  moment  a  loud  noise  of  horses  pawing  the 
pavement  was  heard  in  an  adjoining  court-yard,  and 
an  imperious  voice  called  out :  "  Lift  the  drawbridge  ! 
Close  the  gates  !  " 

The  Prince  of  Owari  sprang  to  hia  feet. 

"Who  gives  orders  in  my  house?"  said  he. 

"  I ! ''  answered  the  same  voice. 

And  at  the  same  time  a  group  of  men  entered  the 
second  court. 


84  THE   USURPER. 

"  The  Eegent  !  "  cried  the  Prince  of  Owari,  falling 
prostrate. 

"  Rise,  friend  !  "  said  Hieyas,  with  a  bitter  smile  ;  "  I 
have  no  longer  any  right  to  the  honors  that  you  render 
me ;  I  am,  for  the  moment,  your  equal." 

"  What  has  happened?"  anxiously  inquired  the  Prince. 

"  Dismiss  your  women,"  said  Hieyas. 

Owari  made  a  sign ;  the  women  disappeared. 

"  Take  your  brother  away,  Omiti,"  said  he  to  the 
young  girl,  who  had  turned  terribly  pale  at  the  entrance 
of  Hieyas. 

"Is  your  daughter's  name  Omiti?"  exclaimed  the 
latter,  his  face  growing  suddenly  purple. 

"  Yes,  master.     Why  do  you  ask  1 " 
-  "  Call  her  back,  I  beg." 

Owari  obeyed.  The  young  girl  returned,  trembling, 
and  with  downcast  eyes. 

Hieyas  looked  at  her  fixedly  with  an  expression  on  his 
face  which  would  have  alarmed  any  one  who  knew  the  man. 
The  maiden,  however,  raised  her  head,  and  an  undaunted 
spirit  was  apparent  in  her  eyes,  —  a  sort  of  self- 
renunciation. 

"  It  was  you  who  betrayed  us,"  said  Hieyas  in  a  dull, 
heavy  voice. 

"Yes,"  said  she. 

"  What  does  this  mean  1 "  cried  the  Prince  of  Owari 
with  a  start. 

"  It  means  that  the  plot  so  carefully  contrived  within 
these  castle  walls,  so  mysteriously  concealed  from  all, 
was  surprised  and  revealed  by  her." 

"  Wretch  !  "  cried  the  Prince  raising  his  clenched  fist 
against  his  daughter. 

"  A  woman,  —  a  child,  —  to  ruin  a  political  con- 
spiracy! '  continued  Hieyas.  "A  vile  pebble,  to  make 


THE   USURPER.  85 

you  stumble,  and  hurl  you  headlong  to  the  ground ! 
It  is  a  mockery  ! " 

"  I  will  kill  you  !  "  yelled  Owari. 

"  Kill  me  !  what  will  it  matter  ] "  said  the  girl.  "  I 
have  saved  the  King.  Is  not  his  life  worth  mine  1  I 
have  long  awaited  your  vengeance." 

"  You  shall  wait  no  longer !  "  said  the  Prince,  seizing 
her  by  the  throat. 

"  No  ;  do  not  kill  her  ! "  said  Hieyas.  "  I  will  take 
her  punishment  into  my  own  hands." 

"  So  be  it ! "  said  Owari ;  "  I  abandon  her  to  you." 

"  It  is  well !  "  said  Hieyas,  signing  to  Faxibo  not  to 
lose  sight  of  the  young  girl.  "  But  let  us  leave  what  is 
past  and  gone  ;  let  us  look  towards  the  future.  Are  you 
still  devoted  to  me  1  " 

"  Can  you  doubt  it,  master  1  And  must  I  not  now 
struggle  to  repair  the  wrong  done  you  by  one  of  my 
family  without  my  knowledge  1 " 

"  Listen,  then.  A  conspiracy  has  suddenly  wrested  the 
power  from  my  hands.  I  contrived  to  escape  the  death 
that  threatened  me,  and  fled  in  the  direction  of  my  prin- 
cipality of  Mikawa.  Your  domains  lie  between  Osaka 
and  my  province.  Your  fortress  overlooks  the  sea,  and 
can  bar  the  passage  of  soldiers  coming  from  Osaka ;  that 
is  why  I  stopped  here,  to  bid  you  collect  your  troops  as 
quickly  as  possible  and  put  your  country  in  a  state  of 
defence.  Guard  your  castle  well.  I  will  stay  here, 
where  I  am  safe  from  sudden  attack,  while  my  faithful 
comrade,  Ino-Kamo-No-Kami  (Hieyas  pointed  to  a  noble- 
man in  his  escort,  who  bowed  low  to  the  Prince  of  Owari, 
the  latter  returning  his  salute),  "  proceeds  to  the  castle  of 
Mikawa,  fortifies  the  whole  province,  and  gives  the  alarm 
to  all  the  princes  my  allies." 

"  I  am  your  slave,  master ;  dispose  of  me." 


86  THE    USURPER. 

"  Give  orders  to  your  soldiers  at  once." 

The  Prince  of  Owari  left  the  courtyard.  Servants 
ushered  their  master's  guests  into  cool,  airy  apart- 
ments, and  served  them  with  tea,  sweetmeats,  and  a 
light  meal. 

Soon  Ino-Kamo-No-Kami  took  leave  of  Hieyas,  who 
gave  him  his  final  instructions ;  and  taking  with  him 
two  of  the  lords  who  had  accompanied  them  thither, 
he  remounted  his  horse  and  left  the  castle. 

Hieyas  then  called  Faxibo. 

The  latter  was  engaged  in  devouring  a  honey-cake, 
never  taking  his  eyes  from  Omiti,  as  she  sat  in  a  corner 
of  the  room. 

"  Can  you  disguise  yourself  so  that  none  shall  know 
you  1  "  he  asked  him. 

"  So  that  you  yourself  would  not  know  me,"  said 
Faxibo. 

"  Good  !  To-morrow  morning  you  will  return  to  Osaka 
and  arrange  to  learn  all  that  goes  on  in  the  palace. 
Moreover,  you  will  travel  with  a  woman." 

Hieyas  leaned  towards  the  ex-groom  and  whispered  in 
his  ear. 

An  evil  smile  hovered  upon  Faxibo's  lips. 

"  Good,  good ! "  he  said ;  "  to-morrow  at  dawn  I  will 
be  ready  to  start." 


THE   USURPER.  87 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  TEA-HOUSE. 

TN  one  of  the  suburbs  of  Osaka,  not  far  from  the  beach 
-*-  whose  white  sandy  slope  stretches  down  to  the  sea, 
stood  an  immense  building,  whose  roofs,  of  various 
heights,  rose  far  above  the  level  of  the  neighboring 
houses.  The  front  of  this  edifice  opened  full  upon  a 
busy  street,  always  crowded,  and  full  of  noise  and 
confusion. 

The  first  floor  had  a  series  of  broad  windows,  closed 
by  gay-colored  blinds,  which  were  often  opened  wide  by 
a  push  from  one  of  the  inquisitive  young  women  whose 
peals  of  laughter  rang  upon  the  air. 

At  the  corners  of  the  various  roofs  banners  floated 
and  large  lozenge-shaped  lanterns  swung ;  the  ground- 
floor  consisted  of  a  wide  gallery  open  to  the  street  and 
protected  from  the  sun  and  wind  by  a  light  roof.  Three 
big  black  characters,  inscribed  on  a  gilded  panel,  formed 
the  sign  of  the  establishment,  and  ran  as  follows, — 
"  The  Day-Break  Inn.  Tea  and  Saki." 

Towards  noon  the  balcony  was  crowded  with  cus- 
tomers ;  they  sat  with  crossed  legs  upon  the  mat  which 
covered  the  floor ;  they  drank  saki,  or  hid  their  faces  in 
the  cloud  of  steam  rising  from  the  cup  of  tea,  upon  which 
they  blew  lustily,  to  cool  it.  "Women,  coqiiettishly  ar- 
rayed and  carefully  painted,  moved  gracefully  about  from 


88  THE    USURPER. 

group  to  group,  carrying  the  hot  drink.  In  the  back- 
ground you  might  see  smoking  stoves  and  pretty  china  cups 
and  dishes  arranged  upon  sets  of  red  lacquer  shelves. 

Every  moment  fresh  passers-by,  cango-bearers,  and 
men  carrying  burdens  would  stop,  ask  for  a  drink,  pay, 
and  hurry  off  again. 

Sometimes  a  quarrel  would  arise  in  front  of  the  inn 
and  degenerate  into  a  brawl,  to  the  great  delight  of 
the  patrons. 

For  instance,  a  pedler  ran  against  a  dealer  in  shells  and 
cuttle-fish  ;  his  basket  of  wares  was  upset,  and  all  the  fish 
fell  to  the  ground  and  rolled  in  the  dirt. 

High  words  rained  on  either  side,  traffic  was  hindered, 
a  crowd  collected  and  took  sides  with  one  or  the  other  of 
the  contending  parties,  and  soon  two  hostile  armies  wore 
ready  to  try  the  fate  of  arms. 

But  a  shout  arose  :  "  The  cable  !  the  cable  !  Don't 
fight ;  bring  a  cable  !  " 

Some  of  the  spectators  hurried  off,  bustled  into  one 
house  after  another,  and  at  last,  finding  what  they  wanted, 
came  running  back  with  a  large  rope. 

Then  the  lookers-on  took  up  their  stand  in  front  of  the 
houses,  leaving  a  free  space  for  those  who  were  to  struggle. 
The  latter  seized  the  rope  in  both  hands,  there  being 
fifteen  on  each  side,  and  began  to  pull  with  all  their  might 
and  main.  The  rope  stretched  and  shook,  then  held  firm. 

"  Courage  !  Hold  tight !  Don't  let  go  !  "  was  the  cry  on 
every  side. 

However,  after  struggling  long  against  fatigue,  one  of 
the  parties  suddenly  let  go  the  rope.  The  victors  fell  all 
together  in  a  heap,  with  their  legs  in  the  air,  amidst  the 
shouts  and  laughte'r  of  the  mob,  who  ran  to  their  rescue. 
They  were  helped  to  their  feet,  and  a  reconciliation  was 
signed  and  sealed  by  copious  draughts  of  saki. 


THE    USURPER.  89 

The  inn  was  thronged,  and  the  maids  were  beside  them- 
selves with  such  an  overflow  of  custom. 

Just  then  an  old  man,  leading  a  girl  by  the  hand,  con- 
trived to  stop  a  waitress  as  she  passed,  and  catch  her 
by  the  sleeve. 

"  I  want  to  speak  to  the  master  of  this  establishment," 
he  said. 

"  You  choose  your  time  well,"  said  the  girl,  with  a  roar 
of  laughter. 

By  a  sudden  movement  she  freed  herself,  and  was  gone 
before  the  old  man  could  add  another  word. 

"  I  will  wait,"  said  he. 

A  cask  of  saki  was  staved  in,  and  the  jolly  drinkers 
talked  and  laughed  noisily. 

But  all  at  once  silence  fell  upon  them ;  the  shrill  sound 
of  a  flute  and  the  music  of  a  stringed  instrument  were 
heard.  The  sounds  came  from  the  rooms  above. 

"  Listen  !  listen  !  "  was  the  general  cry. 

Some  of  the  passers  stopped  to  hear.  The  sound  of  a 
woman's  voice  was  heard.  The  words  of  the  song  were 
clearly  audible  :  > — 

"  When  Iza-Na-Gui  descended  to  earth,  his  companion,  Iza-Na-Mi, 
met  him  in  a  garden. 

"  '  How  delightful  to  meet  such  a  handsome  young  man  ! '  she 
exclaimed. 

"But  the  God,  in  displeasure,  replied  :  '  It  is  not  fitting  for  the 
woman  to  speak  first  ;  meet  me  again. ' 

"  They  parted,  and  they  met  each  other  once  more. 

"  '  How  agreeable  to  meet  such  a  lovely  girl ! '  said  Iza-Na-Gui. 

"  Which  of  the  two  spoke  first  ? '  " 

The  voice  ceased ;  the  accompaniment  went  on  for  a 
few  moments  more. 

A  discussion  ensued  among  the  drinkers ;  they  replied 
to  the  question  asked  by  the  singer. 


90  THE   USURPER. 

"  Of  course  the  God  was  saluted  first,"  said  some. 

"  No,  no !  It  was  the  Goddess ! "  shouted  others. 
"The  will  of  the  God  cancelled  the  first  salutation." 

"  Did  he  cancel  it  1 " 

"  To  be  sure  !  to  be  sure  !  They  began  again,  as  if  noth- 
ing had  ever  happened." 

"  Which  does  not  annul  what  had  occurred  ;  and  so  the 
woman  spoke  first." 

The  argument  threatened  to  wax  warm ;  but  all  ended 
by  a  larger  number  of  cups  being  emptied.  Soon  the 
throng  thinned  off,  and  the  tavern  grew  quiet  again. 

A  servant  woman  then  noticed  the  old  man  leaning 
against  an  upright  post,  and  still  holding  the  young  girl 
by  the  hand. 

"  Do  you  want  a  cup  of  tea  or  saki  1 "  asked  the 
woman. 

"  I  wish  to  speak  to  the  keeper  of  the  tea-house," 
answered  the  man. 

The  servant  looked  at  the  old  man.  His  head  was 
covered  with  a  large  hat  of  woven  reeds,  like  the  cover  of 
a  round  basket ;  his  costume,  much  worn,  was  of  brown 
cotton.  He  held  in  his  hand  a  fan,  on  which  was  marked 
the  road  from  Yeddo  to  Osaka,  the  distance  from  one 
village  to  another,  the  number  and  importance  of  the 
inns,  etc.  The  woman  then  examined  the  young  girl. 
She  was  shabbily  dressed.  Her  robe,  of  faded  blue,  was 
torn  and  dirty ;  a  fragment  of  white  stuff  twisted  about 
her  head  partially  concealed  her  face.  She  leaned  on  a 
black-and-red  paper  parasol,  torn  in  various  places ;  but 
she  was  strangely  beautiful  and  graceful. 

"  Have  you  come  to  make  a  sale  1 "  asked  the  maid  of 
the  inn. 

The  old  man  made  a  sign  that  he  had. 

"I  will  tell  the  master." 


THE    USURPER.  91 

She  went  off,  and  soon  returned.  The  master  followed 
her. 

He  was  a  man  of  repulsive  plainness.  His  little  squint- 
ing black  eyes  were  scarcely  visible  between  the  narrow 
fissure  of  his  absurdly  wrinkled  eyelids ;  his  mouth,  widely 
removed  from  his  long,  thin  nose,  destitute  of  teeth  and 
adorned  with  a  few  stiff  sparse  hairs,  gave  a  sly  and  mean 
expression  to  his  pock-marked  countenance. 

"  You  want  to  get  rid  of  that  young  woman  1  "  said  he, 
rolling  one  eyeball,  while  the  other  one  disappeared  round 
the  corner  of  his  nose. 

*<JTo  get  rid  of  my  child  !  "  screamed  the  old  man.  "  I 
only  consent  to  part  from  her  to  protect  her  from  misery 
and  want." 

"  Unfortunately  I  have  more  women  now  than  I  need ; 
and  they  are  every  one  of  them  quite  as  pretty  as  she  is. 
My  house  is  entirely  full." 

"  I  will  look  elsewhere,"  said  the  old  man,  making  a 
pretence  of  going. 

"  Don't  be  in  such  a  hurry,"  said  the  landlord ;  "  if 
your  demands  are  not  too  extravagant,  perhaps  we  can 
come  to  terms." 

He  made  the  man  a  sign  to  follow  him  into  the  en- 
trance hall  from  which  he  had  just  come ;  this  hall  looked 
out  on  a  garden,  and  was  quite  empty. 

"  What  can  your  girl  do,  I  say  1 "  asked  the  frightful 
squint-eyed  fellow. 

"  She  can  embroider,  she  can  sing,  and  play  on  several 
instruments  ;  she  can  even  compose  a  quatrain  at  a  pinch." 

"  Ah-ha  !  is  that  sol  And  how  much  do  you  want  for 
her?" 

"  Four  kobangs." 

The  innkeeper  was  about  to  exclaim,  "  No  more  ! " 
but  he  restrained  himself. 


92  THE    USURPER. 

"That's  exactly  what  I  was  going  to  offer  you,"  said 
he. 

"  Well,  it 's  a  bargain,"  said  the  old  man  ;  "  I  hire  her 
to  you  to  do  whatever  you  bid  her,  for  a  term  of  twenty 
years." 

The  buyer  hurriedly  brought  brushes  and  a  roll  of 
paper,  and  drew  up  a  bill  of  sale,  which  the  old  man 
readily  signed. 

The  young  girl  meantime  stood  like  a  statue ;  she  did 
not  waste  a  look  on  the  old  man,  who  pretended  to  wipe 
away  a  tear  as  he  pocketed  the  kobangs. 

Before  leaving,  he  bent  towards  the  innkeeper's  ear 
and  whispered  :  "  Keep  your  eye  on  her  ;  watch  her  well ; 
she  will  try  to  escape." 

Then  he  quitted  the  Day-Break  Tea-house ;  and  who- 
ever saw  him,  as  he  turned  the  corner  of  the  street, 
change  his  pace,  rubbing  his  hands  and  outstepping  the 
nimblest,  might  well  have  suspected  the  reality  of  his 
old  age  and  his  white  beard. 


THE   USURPER.  93 


CHAPTEE   X. 

THE  TRYST. 

Prince  of  Nagato  lay  stretched  upon  a  black 
•*-  satin  mattress,  one  elbow  buried  in  a  cushion  and 
the  other  arm  held  out  to  a  doctor  crouching  beside  him. 
The  doctor  was  feeling  his  pulse. 

At  the  Prince's  bedside,  Fide-Yori,  seated  on  a  pile 
of  mats,  fixed  an  anxious  look  upon  the  wrinkled  but 
impenetrable  face  of  the  physician.  An  enormous  pair 
of  spectacles,  with  round  black-rimmed  glasses,  lent  a 
comical  expression  to  the  grave  face  of  the  worthy  man 
of  science. 

Near  the  entrance  of  the  room  knelt  Loo,  his  forehead 
touching  the  floor,  in  honor  of  the  King's  presence.  He 
amused  himself  by  counting  the  silver  threads  in  the 
fringe  of  the  carpet. 

"The  danger  is  over,"  said  the  doctor  at  last;  "the 
wounds  have  closed  ;  and  still  the  fever  continues,  for 
some  reason  which  I  cannot  understand." 

"  I  will  explain  it  to  you,"  said  the  Prince,  eagerly 
drawing  back  his  arm  ;  "  it  is  my  impatience  at  being 
nailed  to  this  bed,  and  forbidden  to  enjoy  the  open  air." 

"  What,  friend !  "  said  the  Shogun,  "  when  I  myself 
come  hither  to  share  your  captivity,  are  you  so  impatient 
to  be  free  ?  " 

"You  know  very  well,  dear  lord,  that  it  is  for  your 


94  THE   USURPER. 

affairs  that  I  am  so  anxious  to  be  up  and  doing;  the 
departure  of  the  embassy  which  you  are  sending  to  Kioto 
cannot  be  indefinitely  delayed." 

"  Why  did  you  ask  me  as  a  special  favor  to  make  you 
chief  of  that  embassy  ? " 

"Is  it  not  my  delight  to  serve  you  1 " 

"  That  is  not  your  only  motive,"  said  Fide-Yori  with  a 
smile. 

"  You  allude  to  my  supposed  love  for  Fatkoura," 
thought  Nagato,  smiling  in  his  turn. 

"  If  the  Prince  is  reasonable,  if  he  gives  up  this  over- 
excitement  which  exhausts  him,  he  may  start  in  three 
days,"  said  the  doctor. 

"  Thanks  !  "  cried  Nagato ;  "  that  news  is  better  than 
all  your  drugs." 

"  My  drugs  are  not  to  be  despised,"  said  the  doctor ; 
"and  you  must  take  the  one  which  I  will  send  you 
presently." 

Then  he  bowed  low  to  the  King  and  his  noble  patient, 
and  retired. 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  Fide-Yori  when  he  was  alone  with' 
his  friend,  "  your  impatience  to  be  off  proves  to  me  that 
I  am  not  mistaken.     You  are  in  love,  Iwakura ;  you  are 
beloved  ;  you  are  happy  !  "     And  he  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

The  Prince  looked  at  him,  surprised  at  this  sigh,  and 
expecting  a  confidence ;  but  the  young  man  blushed 
slightly,  and  changed  the  conversation. 

"  You  see,"  said  he,  opening  a  volume  which  he  held 
on  his  knee,  "  I  am  studying  the  book  of  the  laws ;  I  am 
looking  to  see  if'it  does  not  need  softening  and  altering." 

"  It  contains  one  article  which  I  would  advise  you  to 
suppress,"  said  Nagato. 

"Which?" 

"  That  which  treats  of  mutual  suicide  for  love." 


THE   USURPER.  95 

"  How  does  it  run  1 "  said  Fide-Yori,  turning  over  the 
leaves.  "  Ah  !  here  it  is  :  — 

"  '  If  two  lovers  swear  to  die  together,  and  commit  hari-kiri, 
their  bodies  shall  be  handed  over  to  the  officers  of  justice.  If  one 
of  them  be  not  mortally  wounded,  he  or  she  is  to  be  treated  as  the 
murderer  of  the  other.  If  both  survive  the  attempt,  they  shall  be 
ranked  as  reprobates.' " 

"  That  is  shameful,"  said  Nagato ;  "  has  n't  one  a 
right  to  escape  by  death  from  a  grief  too  heavy  to 
be  endured  1 " 

"  There  is  a  religion  which  says  not,"  murmured 
Fide-Yori. 

"  That  of  the  European  bonzes  !  That  whose  doctrines 
public  rumor  says  you  have  accepted,"  said  Nagato, 
striving  to  read  his  friend's  face. 

"  I  have  studied  that  creed,  Iwakura,"  said  the  Shogun. 
"It  is  pure  and  impressive,  and  the  priests  who  teach 
it  seem  full  of  abnegation.  While  our  bonzes  think  of 
nothing  but-  making  money,  they  scorn  wealth.  And 
then,  you  see,  I  cannot  forget  the  terrible  scene  which  I 
once  witnessed,  nor  the  sublime  courage  of  the  Christians 
as  they  submitted  to  the  horrible  tortures  which  my 
father  ordered  to  be  inflicted  on  them.  I  was  a  child 
then.  I  was  taken  to  see  them  executed,  to  teach  me,  so 
my  guardians  said,  how  such  creatures  should  be  treated. 
It  was  near  Nangasaki,  on  the  hill.  That  nightmare  will 
never  cease  to  trouble  my  dreams.  Crosses  were  planted 
on  the  slope  so  thickly  that  the  hill  seemed  covered  with 
a  forest  of 'dead  trees.  Among  the  victims,  whose  noses 
and  ears  had  all  been  cut  off,  walked  three  little  child- 
ren, —  I  seem  to  see  them  still,  —  disfigured  and  bleed- 
ing, but  revealing  a  strange  courage  in  the  face  of  death. 
All  the  poor  wretches  were  fastened  to  the  crosses,  and 
their  bodies  were  pierced  with  lances ;  the  blood  ran  in 


96  THE    USURPER. 

streams.  The  victims  made  no  outcry ;  as  they  died,  they 
prayed  that  Heaven  would  pardon  their  executioners. 
The  spectators  uttered  frightful  shrieks,  and  I,  overcome 
by  terror,  screamed  with  them,  and  hid  my  face  on  the 
breast  of  the  Prince  of  Mayada,  who  held  me  in  his  arms. 
Soon,  in  spite  of  the  soldiers,  who  beat  them  back  and 
struck  at  them  with  their  lances,  those  who  witnessed 
that  dreadful  scene  rushed  up  the  hill  to  wrangle  for 
some  relic  of  those  martyrs,  whom  they  left  naked  on 
their  crosses."  As  he  spoke,  the  Shogun  continued  to 
turn  over  the  pages  of  his  book. 

"  Exactly,"  he  said,  with  a  movement  of  horror  ;  "  here 
is  the  very  edict  pronounced  by  my  father  when  he 
commanded  the  massacre  :  — 

"  '  I,  Taiko-Sama,  devote  these  men  to  death,  because  they  come  to 
Japan,  calling  themselves  ambassadors,  although  they  are  not  so  ; 
because  they  remain  in  my  domains  without  my  leave,  and  preach 
the  law  of  the  Christians,  contrary  to  my  commands.  I  decree  that 
they  shall  be  crucified  at  Nangasaki.'  " 

Fide-Yori  tore  out  this  and  several  ensuing  pages, 
containing  laws  against  the  Christians. 

"  I  have  found  what  I  wanted  to  expunge,"  'he 
said. 

"  You  do  well,  master,  to  spread  your  protecting  arm 
over  those  mild  and  inoffensive  men,"  said  Nagato ;  "  but 
beware  lest  the  report  which  spreads  from  mouth  to 
mouth,  and  accuses  you  of  being  a  Christian,  take  shape, 
and  your  enemies  use  it  against  you." 

"  You  are  right,  friend ;  I  will  wait  till  my  power  is 
firmly  established,  to  declare  my  sentiments,  and  atone,  as 
far  as  may  be,  for  the  blood  spilled  before  my  very  eyes. 
But  I  must  leave  you,  dear  invalid  ;  you  are  growing  tired, 
and  the  doctor  ordered  you  to  rest.  Be  patient ;  you  are 
nearly  cured." 


THE    USURPER.  97 

The  Shogun  left  the  room  with  an  affectionate  glance 
at  his  friend.  No  sooner  had  he  gone,  than  Loo  sprang 
up ;  he  yawned,  stretched  himself,  and  made  a  thousand 
grimaces. 

"  Come,  Loo ! "  said  the  Prince,  "  run  out  into  the  gar- 
dens for  a  little  while ;  but  don't  throw  stones  at  the 
gazelles,  or  frighten  my  Muscovy  ducks." 

Loo  hastened  away. 

When  he  was  alone,  the  Prince  drew  quickly  from 
under  his  mattress  a  letter  wrapped  in  green  satin ;  he 
placed  it  on  his  pillow,  leaned  his  cheek  against  it,  and 
closed  his  eyes  to  sleep. 

This  letter  was  the  one  given  him  by  the  Kisaki ;  he 
preserved  it  as  a  precious  treasure,  and  his  only  joy  was 
to  inhale  its  faint  perfume.  But,  to  his  great  distress,  it 
had  seemed  to  him,  for  some  days  past,  as  if  the  perfume 
were  evaporating ;  perhaps,  accustomed  to  inhale  it,  he 
did  not  notice  it  so  strongly. 

Suddenly  the  Prince  rose  up ;  he  remembered  that  in- 
side the  envelope  this  subtle  and  delicious  perfume  would 
doubtless  be  better  preserved.  He  broke  the  seal,  which 
he  had  not  hitherto  touched,  thinking  that  the  envelope 
was  empty  ;  but  to  his  great  surprise  he  drew  out  a 
paper  covered  with  written  characters. 

He  uttered  a  cry  and  tried  to  read,  but  in  vain.  A 
red  veil  shimmered  before  his  eyes ;  there  was  a  buzzing 
in  his  ears ;  he  feared  lest  he  should  faint,  and  rested  his 
head  on  the  pillow.  He,  however,  succeeded  in  calming 
himself,  and  again  looked  at  the  writing.  It  was  an 
elegantly  worded  quatrain.  The  Prince  read  it  with 
indescribable  emotion  :  — 

"Two  flowers  bloomed  on  the  banks  of  a  stream.  But,  alas  !  the 
stream  divided  them. 

"  In  each  corolla  lay  a  drop  of  dew,  the  shining  spirit  of  the  flower. 

7 


98  THE   USURPER. 

"  Upon  one  of  them  the  sun  fell ;  he  made  it  sparkle.  But  she 
thought:  Why  am  I  not  on  the  other  bank  ? 

"  Oue  day  these  flowers  hung  their  heads  to  die.  They  let  fall 
their  luminous  soul  like  a  diamond.  Then  the  two  drops  of  dew 
met  at  last,  and  were  mingled  in  the  stream." 

"  She  gives  me  a  tryst,"  cried  the  Prince,  "  farther 
away,  later  on,  in  another  life.  Then  she  has  guessed 
my  love !  She  loves  me,  then !  0  Death  !  can  you 
not  hasten?  Can  you  not  bring  nearer  the  celestial 
hour  of  our  reunion  1 " 

The  Prince  may  have  thought  his  wishes  granted ;  for, 
falling  back  on  his  cushions,  he  lost  consciousness. 


TEE    USURPER.  99 


CHAPTER  XL 
THE  WARRIOR-QUAILS. 

~T~N  a  delightful  landscape  in  the  midst  of  a  thick  wood 
**-  stands  the  summer  residence  of  the  Kisaki,  with  its 
pretty  roofs  of  gilded  bark.  The  thick  foliage  of  the  lofty 
trees  seemed  loath  to  make  way  for  those  glittering 
house-tops,  which  projected  on  every  side  of  the  palace, 
shading  a  broad  veranda,  whose  floor  was  covered  with 
carpets,  and  strewn  with  silk  and  satin  cushions  worked 
in  gold. 

The  prospect  is  not  extensive,  and  the  dwelling  seems 
shut  in  by  cool  green  vegetation.  Emerald  reeds  flaunt 
their  slender  leaves  like  banners  on  the  breeze,  uprearing 
silvery,  flaky  plumes.  Orange-bushes  bloom  beside  tall 
bamboos,  and  mingle  their  sweet-scented  flowers  with  the 
red  blossoms  of  the  wild  cherry.  Farther  away,  large 
camelias  climb  the  trees ;  at  their  feet  big  red  leaves, 
covered  with  light  down,  unfold  beside  tall  heaths,  so  del- 
icate, so  airy,  that  they  look  like  tufts  of  green  feathers. 
Above  this  first  plane  of  verdure,  palms,  bananas,  oaks, 
and  cedars  interlace  their  branches  and  form  an  inextri- 
cable network,  through  which  the  light  filters,  tinged 
with  a  thousand  varying  hues. 

A  brook  glides  slowly  over  a  bed  of  thick  moss,  and  its 
crystal  stream  is  slightly  troubled  by  a  water-hen  of 
lovely  plumage,  who  just  ruffles  it  with  her  wings  as  she 


100  THE   USURPER. 

chases  a  dragon-fly,  whose  slim  body  flashes  forth  metallic 
reflections. 

But  more  brilliant  and  more  splendid  than  the  flowers, 
the  velvety  moss,  or  the  silvery  shadows  on  the  stream, 
are  the  dresses  of  the  women  who  sit  on  the  veranda. 

The  Kisaki,  surrounded  by  her  favorite  ladies  and  a 
few  young  lords,  the  noblest  of  the  Court,  is  witnessing 
a  quail-fight. 

On  account  of  the  heat,  the  sovereign  wears  a  light 
robe  of  pigeon-colored  silk  gauze,  —  a  shade  of  green  which 
she  alone  has  the  right  to  use.  In  place  of  the  three 
plates  of  gold  which  form  her  crown,  she  has  arranged  in 
her  hair  three  daisies  with  silver  leaves.  Over  her  left 
ear,  from  the  head  of  a  long  pin  buried  in  her  hair,  hangs, 
at  the  end  of  a  slender  gold  chain,  a  huge  pearl  of  rare 
beauty  and  perfect  shape. 

Two  young  boys,  in  costumes  differing  only  in  color, 
crouch  upon  their  heels,  face  to  face,  watching  the  con- 
test between  the  pretty  birds,  ready  to  pick  up  the  dead 
and  bring  forward  fresh  combatants*. 

"  How  little  chance  of  winning  I  have,"  said  a  lord 
with  an  intellectual  cast  of  countenance,  "I,  who  dared 
to  bet  against  my  Queen ! " 

"  You  are  the  only  one  who  was  so  bold,  Simabara," 
said  the  Kisaki;  "but  if  you  win,  I  am  sure  that  every 
one  will  bet  against  me  in  the  next  fight." 

"  He  is  likely  to  triumph,"  said  the  Prince  of  Tsusima, 
husband  of  the  beautiful  Iza-Farou-No-Kami. 

"  What ! "  cried  the  Kisaki,  "  have  I  so  nearly  lost  1 " 

"  See,  your  champion  weakens  !  " 

"  Courage  !  one  more  effort !  courage,  little  warrior  !  " 
said  the  Queen. 

The  quails,  with  bristling  feathers  and  neck  out- 
stretched, paused  for  a  moment,  gazing  motionless,  each 


THE   USURPER.  101 

at  the  other,  then   sprang  to  the  attack  again;  one  of 
them   fell. 

"  Ah  !  all  is  over,"  cried  the  Queen,  rising  to  her  feet ; 
"  the  bird  is  dead  !  Simabara  has  won." 

Young  girls  now  handed  about  sweetmeats  and  deli- 
cacies of  various  kinds,  with  tea  gathered  on  the  neigh- 
boring mountains  ;  and  the  sports  ceased  for  a  time. 

Then  a  page  approached  the  Kisaki,  and  told  her  that 
a  messenger  had  been  waiting  for  some  moments  with 
news  from  the  palace. 

"  Let  him  enter,"  said  the  sovereign. 

The  messenger  advanced,  and  prostrated  himself. 

"  Speak,"  said  the  Kisaki. 

"  Light  of  the  World  ! "  said  the  man,  "  the  embassy 
from  the  Shogun  has  arrived." 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  the  Kisaki.  "  And  who  are  the 
princes  that  compose  it  ?  " 

"The  Princes  of  Nagato,  Satsuma,  Ouesougi,  and 
Sa'take." 

"  It  is  well ! "  said  the  Kisaki,  dismissing  the  messen- 
ger by  a  sign.  "  These  gentlemen  will  weary  of  waiting 
for  an  audience,"  she  continued,  addressing  the  princes 
grouped  about  her.  "  The  Mikado,  my  divine  master,  is 
at  the  summer-palace  with  all  his  wives  and  his  Court ; 
the  Dairi  is  almost  deserted.  Tsusima,  go,  seek  out 
these  princes,  and  conduct  them  hither;  they  shall  share 
our  sports.  Let  pavilions  be  prepared  for  them  within 
the  limits  of  the  residence,"  she  added,  turning  to  her 
women. 

Her  orders  were  transmitted  to  the  interior  of  the  house, 
and  the  Prince  of  Tsusima,  bowing  profoundly,  withdrew. 

The  Dairi  was  not  more  than  half-an-hour's  journey 
away  from  the  summer-palace,  so  that  an  hour  was  all- 
sufficient  time  to  go  and  come. 


102  THE   USURPER. 

"  Prepare  a  fresh  combat,"  said  Kisaki.  The  fowlers 
cried  aloud  the  names  of  the  combatants  : 

"  Gold  Spur  !  " 

"  Eival  of  Lightning  !  " 

"  Gold  Spur  is  a  stranger,"  said  the  sovereign.  "  I 
will  bet  on  Eival  of  Lightning ;  I  consider  him  match- 
less :  he  killed  Coral  Beak,  who  had  slaughtered  untold 
adversaries." 

All  the  spectators  followed  the  Queen's  example. 

"  If  that  is  so,"  she  cried,  laughing,  "  I  will  bet  alone 
against  you  all ;  I  will  join  myself  to  the  fortunes  of 
Gold  Spur." 

The  struggle  began.  Rival  of  Lightning  rushed  for- 
ward with  the  speed  which  had  won  him  his  name. 
Usually,  he  disabled  his  foe  at  the  first  onslaught ;  but 
now  he  fell  back,  leaving  a  few  feathers  in  his  antag- 
onist's beak,  the  latter  being  untouched. 

"  Well  done  !  well  done  !  "  was  the  shout  on  every  side. 
"  Gold  Spur  begins  wonderfully  well !  " 

Some  of  the  noblemen  squatted  on  their  heels,  to 
follow  the  fight  more  closely. 

The  birds  closed  for  the  second  time.  But  nothing 
was  to  be  seen  except  a  confused  heap  of  quivering 
plumes ;  then  Rival  of  Lightning  fell  with  bleeding  head, 
and  Gold  Spur  proudly  placed  one  foot  upon  the  body 
of  his  conquered  enemy. 

"  Victory  !  "  cried  the  Kisaki,  clapping  her  small  milk- 
white  hands.  "  Gold  Spur  is  the  monarch  of  the  day ;  to 
him  belongs  the  prize  collar." 

One  of  the  princesses  fetched  a  black  lacquer  box  con- 
taining a  gold  ring  set  with  rubies  and  coral,  from  which 
hung  a  tiny  crystal  bell. 

The  victor  was  brought  to  the  Queen,  who,  taking  the 
ring  in  two  fingers,  put  it  round  the  bird's  neck. 


THE   USURPER.  103 

Other  fights  followed  ;  but  the  Kisaki,  strangely  ab- 
sent-minded, paid  little  heed  to  them.  She  listened  to 
the  myriad  noises  of  the  forest,  and  seemed  annoyed  by 
the  babbling  of  the  brook,  which  prevented  her  hearing 
distinctly  a  very  faint  and  far-off  sound.  It  might  have 
been  the  slight  clash  of  swords  thrust  into  a  noble's 
girdle,  the  crunching  of  the  sand  on  one  of  the  paths 
beneath  the  tread  of  approaching  guests,  or  the  sudden 
snap  of  a  fan  rapidly  opened  and  shut. 

An  insect,  a  passing  bird,  drowned  this  almost  imper- 
ceptible sound.  However  it  soon  grew  louder  ;  every- 
body heard  it.  Cheerful  voices  were  mingled  with  it. 

"  Here  come  the  ambassadors  ! "  said  Simabara. 

Soon  after,  they  heard  the  clang  of  arms,  as  the 
Princes  laid  off  their  weapons  before  appearing  in  the 
sovereign's  presence. 

Tsusima  came  forward  from  the  interior  of  the  house 
and  announced  the  noble  envoys,  who  appeared  in  their 
turn,  and  prostrated  themselves  before  the  Kisaki. 

"  Rise  !  "  said  the  young  woman  hastily,  "  and  learn 
the  laws  which  govern  our  little  Court  of  Flowers.  Cere- 
monious etiquette  is  banished  from  it ;  1  am  regarded  as 
an  elder  sister.  Every  one  is  free  and  at  ease,  and  has 
no  duty,  but  to  devise  fresh  diversions.  The  watchword 
here  is  mirth." 

The  lords  rose ;  they  were  soon  surrounded,  and  ques- 
tioned in  regard  to  recent  events  at  Osaka.  The  Kisaki 
cast  a  rapid  glance  at  the  Prince  of  Nagato.  She  was 
struck  by  the  look  of  weakness  imprinted  upon  the  young 
man's  whole  frame ;  but  she  surprised  in  his  eyes  a 
strange  gleam  of  pride  and  joy. 

"  He  has  read  the  verses  that  I  gave  him,"  she 
thought.  "  How  foolish  I  was  to  write  what  I  did  !  " 

Still,  she  signed  to  him  to  approach. 


104  THE    USURPER. 

"  Rash  man  ! "  she  cried,  "  why  did  you  undertake  a 
journey  when  you  are  still  so  weak  and  ill  ] " 

"You  deigned  to  protect  my  life,  divine  Queen,"  said 
the  Prince ;  "  could  I  longer  delay  coming  to  testify  my 
humble  gratitude  ? " 

"  It  is  true  that  my  foresight  saved  you  from  death, 
but  it  did  not  succeed  in  preserving  you  from  frightful 
wounds,"  said  the  Queen.  "  It  seems  as  if  all  your  blood 
had  flowed  from  your  veins;  you  are  as  pale  as  these 
jasmine-flowers." 

She  showed  him  a  blossoming  spray  which  she  held  in 
her  hand. 

"  You  must  have  suffered  greatly,"  she  added. 

"  Ah  !  dare  I  confess  to  you,"  cried  Nagato,  "  that  to  me 
physical  suffering  is  a  comfort  1  There  is  another  and  far 
more  painful  wound,  —  that  which  is  killing  me,  which 
leaves  me  no  rest  or  peace." 

"  What ! "  said  the  Kisaki,  disguising  her  profound 
emotion  with  a  smile,  "is  this  the  way  that  you  obey 
my  wishes  1  Did  you  not  hear  me  say  that  gayety 
reigns  here  1  Speak  no  more  of  death  or  sorrow ;  let 
your  soul  unbend  beneath  the  balmy  breath  of  this 
beautiful  and  invigorating  scene.  You  shall  pass  some 
days  here ;  you  shall  see  what  a  rural  and  delightful  life 
we  lead  in  this  retreat.  We  rival  in  simplicity  our 
ancestors,  the  shepherds,  who  first  pitched  their  tents 
on  this  soil.  Iza-Farou,"  she  continued,  addressing  the 
Princess,  who  passed  before  the  house  just  then,  "  I  should 
like  to  hear  a  story  ;  call  our  companions,  and  put  an  end 
to  their  political  debates." 

Soon  all  the  privileged  people  admitted  to  the  intimacy 
of  the  Queen  were  assembled.  They  went  into  the  outer 
hall  of  the  house.  The  Kisaki  ascended  a  low  platform, 
covered  with  carpets  and  cushions,  and  half  reclined 


THE   USURPER.  105 

upon  them.  The  women  took  their  places  on  her  left, 
the  men  on  her  right ;  and  servants  at  once  placed  xipon 
the  ground,  before  each,  a  small  gold  plate  containing 
dainties  and  warm  drinks. 

Through  all  the  open  panels  the  scented  air  of  the 
woods  entered  the  spacious  room,  which  was  filled  with  a 
greenish  light,  reflected  from  the  neighboring  trees.  The 
walls  were  wonderfully  decorated  ;  fabulous  animals,  the 
bird  Foo,  the  unicorn,  and  the  sacred  tortoise  stood  out  in 
bold  relief  from  a  background  of  azure,  gold,  or  purple, 
and  a  screen  of  cloisonne  enamel,  in  tints  of  turquoise 
and  brown,  described  its  zigzags  behind  the  dais.  There 
was  no  furniture,  nothing  but  thick  mats,  cushions,  and 
satin  hangings  ornamented  with  birds,  embroidered  in 
circles  of  gold. 

"  I  declare  to  you  at  the  outset,"  said  the  Kisaki,  "  that 
I  shall  not  utter  a  word.  I  am  seized  with  an  overwhelm- 
ing laziness  and  indifference.  Besides,  I  want  to  hear 
stories,  and  not  to  tell  them." 

Loud  protests  were  made  against  this  announcement. 

"I  am  not  to  be  moved,"  said  the  Queen,  laughing; 
"  you  shall  not  even  persuade  me  to  pronounce  a  few  words 
of  flattery  when  your  stories  are  done." 

"  Never  mind  !  "  cried  Simabara  ;  "  I  will  tell  the  story 
of  the  wolf  changed  into  a  young  girl." 

"  Do  !  do  !  "  exclaimed  the  women ;  "  we  like  the  title." 

"An  old  wolf—  " 

"  Oh  !  he  was  old,  was  he  1  "  said  a  young  princess, 
with  a  look  of  contempt. 

"  You  know  very  well  that  to  give  shelter  to  a  human 
soul,  an  animal  must  be  old." 

"  True  !  true  !  "  cried  the  listeners;  "go  on  !" 

"  An  old  wolf,"  said  Simabara,  "  lived  in  a  cave  near  a 
much  travelled  road.  This  wolf  had  an  insatiable  appetite. 


106  THE   USURPER. 

He  therefore  frequently  left  his  cavern,  went  to  the  side  of 
the  road,  and  gobbled  up  a  passer-by.  But  this  mode  of 
procedure  was  not  at  all  to  the  taste  of  the  travellers,  and 
they  ceased  to  frequent  that  road  ;  so  that  little  by  little 
it  became  quite  deserted.  The  wolf  meditated  long  and 
deeply,  seeking  a  way  to  put  an  end  to  this  state  of  things. 
Suddenly  he  disappeared,  and  every  one  supposed  he  was 
dead.  Some  bold  people  ventured  along  the  road,  and 
there  they  saw  a  lovely  young  girl,  who  smiled  bewitch- 
ingly  upon  them. 

" '  Will  you  follow  me,  and  rest  in  a  cool,  delightful 
spot,'  she  said. 

"  None  thought  of  refusing ;  but  no  sooner  had  they 
left  the  road,  than  the  young  girl  returned  to  her  former 
shape  of  an  old  wolf,  and  devoured  the  travellers ;  then 
she  resumed  her  fair  form  and  returned  to  the  roadside. 
From  that  day  forth  not  a  traveller  has  escaped  the  jaws 
of  the  wolf." 

The  princes  loudly  applauded  this  story ;  but  the 
women  protested. 

"  That  is  to  say  that  we  are  dangerous  traps  hidden 
beneath  flowers,"  said  they. 

"  The  flowers  are  so  beautiful  that  we  shall  never  see 
the  trap,"  said  the  Prince  of  Tsusima,  with  a  laugh. 

"  Come  ! "  said  the  Queen  ;  "  Simabara  shall  drink  two 
cups  of  saki,  for  hurting  the  feelings  of  the  women." 

Simabara  merrily  drained  the  cups. 

"  Formerly,"  said  Princess  Iza-Farou,  flashing  a  mis- 
chievous glance  at  Simabara,  "  heroes  were  plenty.  There 
were  Asahina,  who  could  seize  in  each  hand  a  warrior  in 
full  armor  and  hurl  him  to  a  great  distance  ;  Tametomo, 
with  his  terrible  bow ;  Yatsitsone,  whose  only  shield  was 
his  open  fan ;  and  how  many  more !  Their  lofty  deeds 
were  the  constant  theme  of  conversation.  It  was  said, 


THE    USURPER.  107 

among  other  things,  that  on  one  occasion  Sousige,  the  un- 
rivalled cavalier,  returning  from  a  journey,  saw  several  of 
his  friends  crouching  round  a  chess-board  ;  he  spurred  his 
horse  over,  their  heads,  and  the  animal  stood  motionless  on 
his  hind  feet  in  the  centre  of  the  board.  The  players, 
struck  dumb,  thought  that  the  knight  had  dropped  from 
heaven.  Nowadays  I  hear  nothing  to  compare  with 
that." 

"  Good  !  good  ! "  exclaimed  Simabara  •  "  you  would 
infer  that  none  of  us  are  capable  of  such  a  remarkable 
feat  of  horsemanship,  and  that  the  age  of  heroes  is 
passed." 

"That  is  exactly  the  idea  that  I  wished  to  convey," 
said  Iza-Farou,  bursting  into  laughter  ;  "  was  I  not  bound 
to  reply  to  your  impudent  wolf  ]  " 

"  She  had  a  right  to  avenge  us,"  said  the  Kisaki ;  "  she 
shall  not  be  punished." 

"  Flower-of-the-Reed  knows  a  story,  but  she  won't  tell 
it ! "  cried  a  princess,  who  had  been  whispering  with  her 
neighbor. 

Flower-of-the-Reed  hid  her  face  behind  the  loose  sleeve 
of  her  robe.  She  was  a  very  young  girl,  and  somewhat 
shy. 

"  Come,  speak ! "  said  the  Kisaki,  "  and  don't  be 
alarmed ;  we  have  nothing  in  common  with  Simabara's 
wolf." 

"  Very  well !  This  is  my  story,"  said  Flower-of-the- 
Reed,  suddenly  reassured.  "  In  the  Island  of  Yezo  lived  a 
young  man  and  a  maiden  who  loved  each  other  tenderly. 
They  had  been  betrothed  from  their  cradles,  and  had 
never  been  parted.  The  girl  was  fifteen  years  old,  and 
the  young  man  eighteen.  The  date  of  their  marriage 
was  soon  to  be  fixed.  Unhappily  the  son  of  a  rich  man 
fell  in  love  with  the  girl,  and  asked  her  father  for  her 


108  THE    USURPER. 

hand ;  and  he,  heedless  of  his  former  promises,  gave  it  to 
him.  The  young  couple  pleaded  in  vain  ;  the  father  was 
firm.  Then  the  girl  went  to  her  lover  in  despair. 

" '  Listen  ! '  said  she ;  '  as  we  must  be  parted  in  this 
world,  death  shall  unite  us.  Let  us  go  to  the  tomb  of 
your  ancestors,  and  there  kill  ourselves.' 

"They  did  as  she  proposed;  they  lay  down  upon  the 
tomb  and  stabbed  themselves.  But  the  rejected  lover 
had  followed  them.  When  he  no  longer  heard  their  voices, 
he  approached  and  saw  them  stretched  out  side  by  side, 
motionless,  hand  in  hand. 

"  While  he  bent  over  them,  two  white  "butterflies  rose 
from  the  tomb  and  flew  gayly  upwards,  fluttering  their 
wings. 

"  '  Ah  ! '  angrily  ci'ied  the  jealous  survivor,  '  it  is  they  ! 
They  have  escaped  me  ;  they  escape  into  glory  ;  they  are 
happy  !  But  I  will  follow  them,  even  into  heaven  ! ' 

"  So  saying,  he  seized  the  dagger  which  lay  upon  the 
tomb,  and  in  his  turn  struck  himself  to  the  heart. 

"Then  a  third  butterfly  rose  into  the  air.  But  the 
others  were  far  away ;  he  could  never  reach  them. 

"  Even  now,  to  this  very  day,  if  you  look  among  the 
flowers,  when  spring  comes  back  to  us,  you  will  see  the 
two  winged  lovers  pass,  side  by  side.  Look  again  ;  you 
will  soon  see  the  jealous  one,  who  follows,  but  can  never 
overtake  them." 

"Indeed,"  said  Iza-Farou,  "butterflies  are  always 
grouped  in  .that  way :  two  flutter  about  together,  and 
a  third  follows  them  at  a  distance." 

"  I  have  noticed  that  peculiarity  too,  without  knowing 
the  reason  for  it,"  said  the  Kisaki.  "  The  story  is  pretty ; 
I  never  heard  it  before." 

"  The  Prince  of  Satsuma  must  tell  us  something,"  said 
Flower-of-the-Keed. 


THE    USURPER.  109 

"  I !  "  exclaimed  the  old  man  in  some  alarm ;  "  but  I 
don't  know  any  stories." 

"  Yes  !  yes  !  you  know  plenty,  "  exclaimed  the  women  ; 
"you  must  tell  us  one." 

"  Then  I  will  relate  an  adventure  which  happened 
not  long  since  to  the  Prince  of  Figo's  cook." 

This  announcement  provoked  a  general  outburst  of 
merriment. 

"You  will  see,"  said  Satsuma,  "you  will  see  that  this 
cook  had  a  good  deal  of  wit.  In  the  first  place,  he  is  very 
skilful  at  his  trade,  which  is  not  a  thing  to  be  despised ; 
and  moreover  he  pays  extreme  attention  to  the  minutest 
details  of  his  work.  A  few  days  ago,  however,  at  a  feast 
to  which  I  went,  the  servants  brought  in  a  bowl  full  of 
rice  and  uncovered  it  before  the  Lord  of  Figo.  What  was 
the  latter's  surprise  to  see  in  the  middle  of  the  snowy 
rice  a  black  insect,  quite  motionless,  because  it  was 
cooked  !  The  Prince  turned  white  with  rage.  He  sum- 
moned the  cook ;  and  seizing  the  ignoble  insect  with  the 
tips  of  his  ivory  chopsticks,  he  presented  it  to  the  fellow 
with  a  terrible  look.  There  was  nothing  left  for  the 
unfortunate  servant  but  to  rip  himself  up  as  speedily 
as  possible.  But  it  seemed  that  that  operation  was  not  at 
all  to  his  liking ;  for,  approaching  his  master  with  every 
sign  of  the  most  lively  joy,  he  took  the  insect  and  ate  it, 
pretending  to  think  that  the  Prince  did  him  the  honor 
to  offer  him  a  taste  of  the  repast.  The  guests  began  to 
laugh  at  this  display  of  quick  wits.  The  Prince  of  Figo 
himself  could  not  help  smiling,  and  the  cook  was  rescued 
from  death." 

"  Good !  good  !  "  cried  all  the  listeners ;  "  there  's  a 
story  which  cannot  offend  any  one." 

"  It  is  Nagato's  turn,"  said  Tsusima,  "  he  must  know 
delightful  stories." 


110  THE   USURPER. 

Nagato  started  as  if  aroused  from  a  dream ;  he  had 
heard  nothing,  noticed  nothing,  absorbed  as  he  was  in  the 
ecstatic  contemplation  of  the  goddess  whom  he  adored. 

"  You  want  a  story  ? "  he  asked,  looking  at  the  com- 
pany as  if  he  saw  them  for  the  first  time. 

He  reflected  for  a  few  seconds. 

"  Very  well ;  you  shall  have  one,"  he  said. 

"  There  was  once  a  tiny  pond,  born  upon  a  day  of 
storm  and  tempest.  It  was  formed  upon  a  mossy  bed,  and 
violets  and  pretty  flowering-shrubs  surrounded  it  and 
bent  over  it.  The  clouds,  its  kindred,  had  not  yet  quite 
dispersed,  when  the  birds  came,  dipping  the  tips  of  their 
wings  in  its  waters,  and  delighting  it  with  their  songs. 
It  was  happy,  and  rejoiced  in  life,  finding  it  good.  But 
soon  the  clouds  vanished,  and  something  marvellously 
dazzling  appeared  high  overhead.  The  water  sparkled ; 
diamond-like  ripples  traversed  its  surface ;  it  was  changed 
to  a  magnificent  casket  of  jewels.  But  the  clouds  came 
back,  the  vision  disappeared.  What  sorrow  then,  and 
what  regrets  !  The  pond  found  no  more  pleasure  in  the 
songs  of  the  birds ;  he  despised  the  reflections  cast  upon 
his  bosom  by  the  flowers  on  his  shores ;  everything  looked 
dark  and  ugly  to  him.  At  last  the  sky  cleared  again, 
and  this  time  for  a  long  period.  The  bright  wonder  re- 
appeared; the  pond  was  again  penetrated  with  warmth, 
splendor,  and  joy ;  but  he  felt  that  he  was  dying  beneath 
those  golden  darts,  which  grew  more  and  more  fiery.  Yet 
if  a  light  branch  threw  its  shadow  over  him,  if  a  fine 
mist  sprang  up  and  served  him  as  a  shield,  how  he 
cursed  them  for  delaying  his  delicious  annihilation  for 
one  moment !  The  third  day  he  had  not  one  drop  of 
water  left :  the  pond  had  been  swallowed  by  the  sun." 

This  tale  plunged  the  princesses  in  sweet  reveries. 
The  men  declared  that  Nagato  had  invented  a  new  form 


THE    USURPER.  Ill 

of  story-telling,  and  that  his  improvisation  ought  to  be 
put  into  poetry. 

The  Queen,  who  understood  that  the  Prince  spoke  for 
her  ear  alone,  almost  involuntarily  threw  him  a  look  full 
of  melancholy  pleasure. 

The  day  neared  its  close.  Two  princesses  now  knelt 
before  the  Kisaki,  to  take  her  orders  for  the  next  day's 
diversions. 

"  To-morrow,"  said  she,  after  a  few  moments'  considera- 
tion, "  we  will  have  a  rustic  breakfast  and  a  poetic  con- 
test in  the  western  orchard." 

The  party  soon  broke  up,  and  the  embassy  was  con- 
ducted to  the  pavilions,  embowered  in  shrubs  and  flowers, 
which  had  been  assigned  to  it. 


112  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTEE   XII. 
THE  WESTERN  ORCHARD. 

"TTTHEN  the  Prince  of  Nagato  woke  next  day  he 
*  '  experienced  a  feeling  of  well-being  and  of  joy 
to  which  he  had  long  been  a  stranger.  Yielding  to  the 
brief  and  idle  revery  which  is  like  the  dawn  of  wakening 
consciousness,  his  eye  wandered  over  the  dancing  shadows 
of  the  leaves  without,  cast  upon  the  closed  blinds  by  the 
sun.  Myriads  of  birds  warbled  and  chattered,  and  one 
might  almost  think  that  the  light  itself  sang  in  that 
medley  of  clear  voices. 

The  Prince  thought  of  the  happy  day  which  lay  before 
him  ;  it  was  an  oasis  in  the  dry  and  burning  desert  of 
his  love.  He  repulsed  the  thought  of  speedy  departure, 
with  its  train  of  attendant  griefs,  to  give  himself  wholly 
up  to  the  delights  of  the  present ;  he  was  calm  and 
happy. 

The  night  before,  his  mind  full  of  memories,  his  heart 
filled  with  emotion,  he  knew  that  sleep  would  hold  per- 
sistently aloof.  He  therefore  ordered  a  drink  to  be 
prepared  which  would  prevent  insomnia.  A  secret  feel- 
ing of  coquetry  led  him  to  avoid  a  feverish  night.  He  was 
aware  of  his  own  beauty,  having  been  told  of  it  fre- 
quently ;  and  the  glance  of  every  woman  he  met  repeated 
the  story  daily.  Had  not  his  grace  of  person  and  of 
face,  the  charm  which  emanated  from  him,  had  their 


THE    USURPER.  113 

share  in  attracting  the  favorable  notice  of  the  Queen  1 
They  therefore  deserved  to  be  guarded  from  the  inroads 
of  fever  and  fatigue. 

Calling  his  servants,  the'  Prince  demanded  a  mirror,  aud 
examined  himself  with  eager  haste. 

But  the  first  glance  allayed  his  fears.  His  pallor  had 
recovered  the  warm  tints  of  which  illness  had  robbed 
it ;  the  blood  returned  to  his  lips ;  and  yet  his  eyes  still 
retained  something  of  their  feverish  lustre.  He  paid 
an  almost  childish  attention  to  the  details  of  his  dress, 
choosing  the  sweetest  perfumes,  the  softest  garments,  of 
the  faint  but  clear  blue  tint  which  he  preferred. 

When  he  left  his  pavilion  at  last,  the  guests  were 
already  assembled  before  the  Kisaki's  palace.  His  arrival 
caused  a  sensation.  The  men  went  into  raptures  over  his 
toilette ;  the  women  dared  not  speak.  But  their  silence 
was  most  nattering ;  it  might  be  translated  thus  :  He  is 
worthy  to  be  loved,  even  by  a  queen ;  for  that  perfectly 
beautiful  body  is  the  temple  of  the  most  refined  spirit 
and  the  noblest  heart  in  the  kingdom. 

The  Princess  Iza-Farou-No-Kami  approached  Nagato. 
"  You  have  not  asked  me  for  news  of  Fatkoura,  Prince," 
said  she. 

The  Prince  had  never  thought  of  Fatkoura,  nor  had  he 
even  noted  her  absence. 

"  She  was  ill  yesterday,"  continued  the  Princess ;  "  but 
the  announcement  of  your  arrival  restored  her  to  health. 
Depressed  as  she  has  been  for  some  time,  your  return 
may  perhaps  console  her.  You  will  see  her  directly ;  she 
is  with  the  Kisaki.  She  is  on  duty  this  week.  Well ! 
have  you  nothing  to  say  I " 

The  Prince  knew  not  what  to  say ;  in  fact,  Fatkoura's 
name  roused  both  remorse  and  weariness  in  him.  He  re- 
proached himself  for  inspiring  this  woman  with  love  for 

8 


114  THE    USURPER. 

him,  or  rather  for  appearing  to  respond  to  the  love  which 
he  guessed  she  felt.  He  had  used  this  false  passion  as  a 
screen  between  the  curious  gaze  and  the  sun  of  his  real 
love.  But  he  no  longer  had  the  strength  to  keep  up  his 
role  of  fond  lover ;  and  instead  of  the  pity  and  friendship 
which  he  strove  to  feel  for  his  unfortunate  victim,  Fat- 
koura  only  inspired  him  with  deep  indifference. 

The  arrival  of  the  Kisaki  enabled  him  to  dispense  with 
any  answer  to  Iza-Farou.  The  Queen  advanced  from  the 
veranda,  greeting  her  guests  with  a  gracious  smile  as 
they  bent  one  knee  to  the  ground. 

As  they  were  to  climb  a  mountain  and  pass  over  nar- 
row paths,  the  Kisaki  had  donned  a  less  ample  robe 
than  she  usually  wore.  Her  sea-green  gown  was  of 
crape,  wrinkled  slightly,  like  the  surface  of  a  lake  ruffled 
by  the  wind  ;  a  broad  cloth  of  gold  girdle  bound  her 
waist  and  formed  a  huge  knot-  at  the  back.  A  branch 
of  chrysanthemum  in  full  bloom  was  embroidered  upon 
one  end  of  this  sash.  The  Queen  had  in  her  hair  large 
pins  of  light  tortoise-shell  elaborately  wrought,  and  on 
her  brow  was  a  small  round  mirror  surrounded  by  a  row 
of  pearls. 

Soon  a  magnificent  chariot,  drawn  by  two  black  buf- 
faloes, approached  the  palace.  This  chariot,  surmounted 
by  a  roof  and  covered  with  gilding,  looked  like  a  summer- 
house.  It  was  closed  by  blinds,  which  the  Kisaki  ordered 
to  be  raised. 

The  princesses  and  lords  took  their  places  in  norimonos 
drawn  by  a  large  number  of  men  in  rich  array,  and  they 
set  joyously  forth.  The  day  was  superb,  a  light  breeze 
cooled  the  air,  and  they  would  not  be  troubled  by  the 
heat. 

At  first  they  passed  through  the  gardens  of  the  royal 
residence.  The  chariot  thrust  aside  the  sti-aggling 


THE    USURPER.  115 

branches  which  grew  across  the  paths,  it  frightened  away 
the  butterflies,  and  broke  the  flowers  from  their  stems. 
Then  they  reached  the  wall  that  surrounds  the  summer- 
palace,  and  went  through  the  lofty  gateway  crowned  by 
the  Mikado's  bird,  the  Foo-Houan,  —  a  mythological  crea- 
ture which  took  part  in  the  creation  of  the  world.  They 
then  followed  the  wall  along  its  exterior  •  next  they  took 
a  road  bordered  by  tall  trees  and  leading  to  the  moun- 
tains. There  the  whole  Court  got  down  to  continue  the 
journey  on  foot.  They  formied  into  groups,  servants 
opened  parasols,  and  the  ascent  of  the  mountain  was 
merrily  begun.  The  Kisaki  walked  first.  Alert  and  active 
as  a  young  girl,  she  ran  a  few  steps,  gathered  wild  flowers 
from  the  bushes ;  theu,  when  she  had  too  large  a  collec 
tion,  she  threw  them  away.  The  merry  company  chatted 
and  laughed ;  each  one  walked  at  his  own  pace.  Here 
and  there  a  lord  took  off  the  lacquered  hat  which  looked 
like  a  circular  shield  and  hung  it  at  his  belt ;  then 
he  fixed  his  open  fan  in  his  hair  twisted  like  a  rope, 
so  that  it  projected  like  a  penthouse  over  his  fore- 
head. • 

At  times  an  opening  in  the  bushes  revealed  the  city, 
which  seemed  to  spread  out  as  they  rose  higher  and 
higher ;  but  they  did  not  stay  to  gaze,  for  their  first  stop 
was  to  be  on  the  terrace  before  the  temple  of  Kiomidz,  — 
that  is,  the  temple  of  pure  water,  —  whence  the  view  is 
very  fine.  This  temple  rests  on  one  side  upon  immensely 
tall  pillars  of  wood,  reaching  down  to  the  very  foot  of 
the  mountain ;  on  the  other  it  is  supported  by  a  rough- 
hewn  rock.  It  shelters  beneath  its  broad  roof,  covered 
with  blue  porcelain  tiles,  a  divinity  with  a  thousand 
arms. 

Upon  the  terrace,  covered  with  large  pebbles,  which 
extends  in  front  of  the  temple,  camp-stools  had  been 


116  THE    USURPER. 

arranged,   that  the  noble  party  might   rest,   and  enjoy 
the  beauty  of  the  view  at  their  ease. 

They  soon  arrived  and  took  their  places. 

Kioto  lay  before  them,  with  its  countless  low  but 
elegant  houses,  encircling  the  vast  park  of  the  Dairi,  — 
a  lake  of  verdure  from  which  rose  here  and  there,  like 
an  islet,  a  broad  and  magnificent  roof.  The  eye  could 
readily  follow  the  clear  line  traced  around  the  park  by 
the  walls. 

To  the  south  of  the  city  a  river,  the  Yedogava,  glis- 
tened in  the  sun.  The  plain,  rich  and  well  cultivated, 
stretched  beyond.  Another  watercourse,  the  Wild  Goose 
River,  flows  through  the  heart  of  the  town,  near  the 
fortress  of  Nisio-Nosiro,  which  rears  its  lofty  ramparts 
and  its  square  tower,  crowned  by  a  roof  with  upturned 
edges. 

Behind  the  city  lay  a  semicircle  of  high  hills  covered 
with  vegetation  and  with  temples  of  every  sort,  rising  one 
above  the  other  on  the  slopes,  scaling  them,  and  half  hid- 
den in  foliage  and  flowers.  The  nobles  pointed  out  to  one 
another  the  temple  of  lasacca,  or  the  Eight  Escarpments ; 
the  tower  of  To-Tse,  with  its  five  series  of  airy  roofs ; 
the  chapel  of  Guihon,  containing  nothing  but  a  round 
metal  mirror,  and  surrounded  by  a  vast  number  of  pretty 
houses,  to  which  people  repair  for  tea  and  saki;  then, 
lower  down,  nearer  the  plain,  on  the  road  that  leads  to 
Fusimi,  the  colossal  pagoda  of  Daibouds,  very  lofty,  very 
splendid,  and  containing  within  its  gardens  the  temple  of 
the  Thirty-three  thousand  three  hundred  and  thirty-three 
Idols,  —  a  very  long  and  narrow  building. 

The  party  went  into  ecstasies  over  the  beauty  of  the 
situation.  They  delighted  to  lose  their  way  in  fancy  in  the 
complicated  network  formed  by  the  city  streets,  filled 
with  a  brilliant  throng,  the  enclosures  and  the  courtyards, 


THE    USURPER.  117 

which  from  that  height  seemed  like  open  boxes.  With 
a  single  glance  they  traversed  all  Kioto ;  beside  the 
river  they  saw  a  large  open  space,  surrounded  by  a  pali- 
sade, that  was  the  parade-ground  of  the  Knights  of 
Heaven,  some  of  whom  were  now  galloping  about  the 
enclosure,  their  embroidered  robes,  their  lances,  and 
helmets  flashing  in  the  sun. 

The  dark,  green  mountains  stood  out  in  bold  relief 
against  the  clear  blue  sky;  some  more  distant  peaks  were 
violet  hued ;  the  atmosphere  was  so  pure  that  the  little 
city  of  Yodo  was  plainly  visible,  joined  to  Kioto  by  the 
long  ribbon-like  road  crossing  the  golden  fields. 

The  Kisaki  rose. 

"  Let  us  be  off !  "  she  cried.  "  We  must  not  linger  here 
too  long ;  we  must  drink,  higher  up,  the  water  of  the 
cascade  of  Otooua,  which  gives  prudence  and  wisdom, 
—  so  the  bonzes  claim." 

"  Is  there  no  fountain  whose  water  has  the  power  to 
make  men  light-hearted  and  careless  1 "  said  Simabara ; 
"I  would  rather  wet  my  lips  in  that." 

"  I  don't  see  what  you  would  gain,"  said  a  princess, 
laughing ;  "  if  there  be  such  a  fountain,  you  have  most 
certainly  tasted  its  waters." 

"  If  there  were  one  which  made  us  forget  life,  and  be- 
lieve in  a  dream  without  awaking,"  said  the  Prince  of 
Nagato,  "I  would  drink  to  intoxication  of  it." 

"  I  would  content  myself  with  that  which  gives  pru- 
dence, were  I  in  your  place,"  said  Fatkoura,  who  had  not 
yet  exchanged  a  word  with  Nagato. 

Her  bitter  and  satirical  voice  made  the  Prince  shud- 
der. He  did  not  reply,  but  hastened  to  rejoin  the  Queen, 
who  was  climbing  a  stone  staircase  hewn  in  the  steep 
side  of  the  mountain. 

This   staircase,  bordered  by  shrubs   whose   interlaced 


118  THE   USURPER. 

branches  formed  a  verdant  canopy  above  it,  led  to  the 
cascade  of  Otooua.  The  sound  of  the  water  was  already 
audible  as  it  gushed  from  three  fissures  in  the  rock,  and 
fell  from  a  height  into  a  small  pond. 

The  Kisaki  arrived  first ;  she  knelt  on  the  grass  and 
dipped  her  hands  in  the  clear  water. 

A  young  bonze  ran  forward  with  a  golden  cup ;  but  the 
sovereign  dismissed  him  with  a  sign,  and  advancing  her 
lips,  swallowed  the  water  held  in  the  hollow  of  her  hand, 
then  rose  and  shook  her  fingers.  A  few  drops  fell  upon 
her  dress. 

"Now,"  said  she,  laughing,  "Buddha  himself  has  no 
more  wisdom  than  I." 

"You  laugh,"  said  Simabara;  "for  my  part,  I  believe 
in  the  virtues  of  the  water  :  that  is  why  I  do  not  taste  it." 

They  took  a  very  rough  path.  Its  very  look  made  the 
women  utter  cries  of  alarm.  Some  declared  that  they 
would  never  risk  their  lives  on  such  a  road ;  but  the 
lords  went  first,  and  extended  their  shut  fans  to  the  most 
timid,  and  thus  the  top  of  the  mountain  was  reached. 
But  then  the  cries  of  distress  were  redoubled.  Before 
them  lay  a  tiny  torrent,  which  ran  babbling  over  the 
stones  ;  it  must  be  crossed  by  jumping  from  rock  to  rock, 
at  the  risk,  if  one  were  awkward,  of  wetting  the  feet. 

The  Kisaki  asked  Nagato  to  let  her  lean  on  his  shoul- 
der, and  passed  safely  over.  Some  of  the  women  followed 
her ;  then  turned  to  laugh,  quite  at  their  ease,  ^at  those 
who  dared  not  venture. 

One  young  princess  paused  in  mid-stream,  standing  on 
a  rock ;  she  held  close  about  her  the  ample  folds  of  her 
robe ;  and,  half  laughing,  half  dismayed,  would  neither 
go  forward  nor  backward.  She  only  resolved  upon  cross- 
ing the  dangerous  ford  when  her  friends  threatened  to 
leave  her  alone  in  the  middle  of  the  torrent. 


THE   USURPER.  119 

There  were  but  a  few  steps  more  to  be  taken  ere  they 
reached  the  western  orchard,  which  is  surrounded  by  a 
hedge  of  tea-plants.  The  Queen  pushed  open  a  lattice- 
gate,  and  entered  the  enclosure. 

It  was  the  most  enchanting  spot  imaginable.  The 
spring,  at  this  height,  is  somewhat  tardy ;  and  while  in 
the  valley  the  fruit-trees  had  already  shed  all  their 
flowers,  here  they  were  in  full  bloom.  Upon  the  undulat- 
ing surface  carpeted  with  thick  turf,  plum-trees  covered 
with  tiny  white  stars,  api'icots,  apple-trees,  peach-trees 
with  their  pink  flowers,  cherries  decked  with  dark-red 
bloom,  bent  and  twisted  and  stretched  in  every  direc- 
tion their  dusky  branches,  whose  roughness  formed  a 
marked  contrast  to  the  frailty  of  the  petals. 

In  the  middle  of  the  orchard  a  large  carpet  was  spread 
on  the  grass,  and  a  red  satin  curtain,  held  up  by  gilded 
poles,  flapped  above  it.  A  collation  was  served  on  this 
rug  in  costly  china  dishes. 

The  guests  gladly  squatted  around  the  trays  loaded 
with  dainty  provisions  ;  the  walk  had  given  all  an  appe- 
tite. The  women  arranged  themselves  in  two  groups  to 
the  right  and  left  of  the  Kisaki ;  the  men  took  their  seats 
opposite  her  at  a  respectful  distance. 

The  most  outspoken  gayety  soon  reigned  throughout 
the  noble  assembly;  laughter  bubbled  from  every  lip. 
They  chattered  loudly,  and  no  one  heeded  the  melodies 
discoursed  by  an  orchestra  hidden  behind  a  screen  made 
from  fibres  of  the  reed. 

Fatkoura  alone  wore  a  gloomy  look  and  remained  silent. 
The  Princess  Iza-Farou  studied  her  by  stealth  with  in- 
creasing surprise  ;  she  also  looked  from  time  to  time  at 
the  Prince  of  Nagato,  who  seemed  lost  in  a  delightful 
dream,  but  never  turned  his  eyes  in  the  direction  of 
Fatkoura. 


120  THE   USURPER. 

"  What  has  happened  ]  "  murmured  the  Princess.  "  He 
has  certainly  ceased  to  love  her;  an'd  I  thought  the 
wedding  was  so  near  at  hand ! " 

The  feast  ended,  the  Kisaki  rose. 

"  Now,"  said  she,  "  to  work !  Let  each  one  of  us 
draw  inspiration  from  Nature  to  compose  a  quatrain  in 
Chinese  characters." 

They  scattered  in  various  directions  beneath  the  trees ; 
each  one  went  apart  and  reflected.  Some  paused  before 
a  blossoming  branch  ;  others  walked  slowly  along,  their 
gaze  fixed  on  the  ground,  or  with  head  uplifted  towards 
what  could  be  seen  of  the  sky  through  the  constella- 
tions of  snowy  or  rose-tinted  flowers.  Some  lazy  spirits 
stretched  themselves  at  full  length  on  the  turf  and 
closed  their  eyes. 

The  bright  and  lively  hues  of  their  dresses  shone  forth 
gayly  against  the  green,  and  added  one  more  charm  to 
the  landscape. 

Soon  all  the  poets  were  recalled.  The  time  fixed  for 
the  framing  of  the  quatrain  had  elapsed.  They  assembled 
and  sat  down  on  the  grass.  Servants  brought  in  a  huge 
bronze  bowl,  upon  the  sides  of  which  writhed  sculptured 
dragons  in  the  midst  of  imaginary  shrubbery.  This 
bowl  was  full  of  white  fans,  decorated  only  by  a  slight 
sketch  in  one  corner.  On  one  was  a  tuft  of  iris;  oil 
another  a  few  slender  reeds,  a  cottage  by  a  lake,  over 
which  bent  a  willow,  or  a  bird  grasping  a  branch  of 
almond-flowers  in  his  claws. 

Each  competitor  took  one  of  these  fans,  upon  which  he 
was  to  write  his  verse.  Brushes  and  India  ink  ready 
mixed  were  also  brought.  Soon  the  black  characters 
stood  in  four  perpendicular  rows  upon  the  white  surface 
of  the  fans ;  the  poems  were  finished.  Each  poet  read 
his  own  quatrain  aloud. 


THE    USURPER.  121 

The  Princess  Iza-Farou  began  :  — 

"  THE   FIRST  FLOWERS. 

"  How  fleeting,  in  life,  is  the  time 
When  we  have  only  joys,  hopes,  and  no  regrets  ! 
Which  is  the  most  delicious  moment  of  spring  ? 
That  when  not  a  single  flower  has  yet  faded." 

Lively  approval  hailed  this  poem. 
When  silence   was    restored,   Simabara    took  up   the 
word :  — 

"THE  LOVE  OF  NATURE. 
"  I  lift  my  head,  and  I  see  a  flock  of  wild  geese. 
Among  those  travellers  one,  who  erst  was  in  the  van,  now  lags 

behind  her  mates. 

See  how  she  flies  behind  the  rest.     Why  does  she  linger  thus  ! 
Because  from  the  heights  of  heaven  she  wonders  at  the  beauty 
of  the  scene." 

"  Good  !  good  !  "  cried  the  listeners. 
Some  of  the  princes   repeated  the   last  line,  shaking 
their  heads  with  satisfaction. 

Several  other  quatrains  were  read ;  then  the  Kisaki 
repeated  hers  :  — 

"THE  SNOW. 

"  The  sky  is  clear  ;   the  bees  hum  o'er  the  garden  beds  ; 
A  balmy  breeze  blows  through  the  trees  ; 
It  makes  the  plum-blossoms  fall  in  showers. 
How  delightful  is  the  spring  snow  !  " 

"  You  are  the  master  of  us  all ! "  was  the  enthusiastic 
shout.  "  What  are  our  verses  beside  yours ! " 

"Our  great  poet,  Tsourai-Iouki,1  never  wrote  a  more 
perfect  poem  than  that,"  said  the  Prince  of  Nagato. 

"  It  was  from  that  poet  I  drew  my  inspiration,"  said 
the  Kisaki,  smiling  with  pleasure.  "  But  it  is  your 

1  The  two  latter  quatrains  are  translated  from  Tsourai-Iouki,  one 
of  the  most  famous  poets  of  Japan. 


122  THE   USURPER. 

turn  to  read,  Iwakura,"  she  continued,  glancing  at  the 
Prince. 

Nagato  opened  his  fan  and  read  :  — 

"THE  WILLOW. 
"  The  thing  which  we  love  more  than  all  else,  we  prefer  that  no  one 

else  should  love. 
It  belongs  to  another. 

So  the  willow,  which  takes  root  in  our  garden, 
Bends,  blown  by  the  wind,  and  adorns  our  neighbor's  wall  with 
its  branches." 

"  The  illustrious  Tikangue  l  might  be  your  brother," 
said  the  Kisaki;  "there  is  no  quatrain  in  his  works 
superior  to  that.  I  wish  to  preserve  the  fan  that  your 
hand  has  illustrated ;  give  it  to  me,  I  beg." 

Nagato  approached  the  Queen,  and,  kneeling,  offered 
her  the  fan. 

Fatkoura  abruptly  recited  the  following  lines,  which 
she  improvised  on  the  spur  of  the  moment :  — 

"  The  pheasant  runs  through  the  fields  ;  he  attracts  all  eyes  by  his 

gilded  plumage  ; 

He  cries  aloud  as  he  seeks  his  food. 
Then  he  turns  towards  his  mate, 
And  through  love  for  her  he  involuntarily  betrays  the  place  of 

his  retreat  to  men." 

The  Queen  frowned,  and  paled  slightly.  A  transport 
of  rage*  made  her  heart  palpitate ;  for  she  saw  that  Fat- 
koura, by  this  improvisation,  hurled  an  outrageous  insult 
at  Nagato  and  herself.  She  slandered  her  sovereign  with 
the  daring  of  a  soul  which  has  lost  all,  and  offers  one 
buckler  to  revenge,  —  despair. 

The  Kisaki,  feeling  her  inability  to  punish,  was  seized 
by  a  vague  terror,  and  repressed  her  wrath.  If  she  ac- 

1  An  illustrious  Japanese  poet,  author  of  the  verses  entitled  "  The 
Willow." 


THE   USURPER.  123 

knowledged  that  she  understood  the  injurious  intention 
of  Fatkoura's  words,  must  she  not  confess  to  a  guilty 
prepossession,  —  an  interest  unworthy  of  her  majesty,  —  in 
the  love  to  which  her  beauty  had  given  birth  in  the  heart 
of  one  of  her  subjects  ]  • 

She  complimented  Fatkoura  in  a  very  quiet  voice  upon 
the  elegance  of  her  poem  ;  then  she  sent  her  by  a  page 
the  prize  offered  for  competition.  It  was  a  charming 
collection  of  poems,  no  longer  than  a  man's  finger;  the 
fashion  being  for  the  smallest  books  possible. 

Some  hours  later,  while  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  leaning 
over  the  edge  of  the  terrace,  was  gazing  down  from  the 
mountain  top  at  the  setting  sun,  which  shed  its  purple 
glory  across  the  sky,  the  Kisaki  drew  near  him. 

He  lifted  his  eyes  to  her  face,  thinking  that  she  wished 
to  speak  to  him ;  but  she  was  silent,  her  eyes  fixed  on 
the  horizon,  and  full  of  sadness;  she  preserved  a  solemn 
attitude. 

The  reflection  from  the  western  sky  disguised  her 
pallor.  She  repressed  some  painful  emotion,  and  strove 
to  restrain  a  tear  that  trembled  on  her  lashes  and  dimmed 
her  sight. 

Nagato  felt  a  sort  of  terror  ;  he  was  sure  that  she  was 
going  to  say  something  dreadful  to  him.  He  would  fain 
have -prevented  her  from  speaking. 

"  Queen,"  said  he,  softly,  as  if  to  dismiss  the  danger, 
"the  sky  looks  like  a  great  rose-leaf." 

"  It  is  the  last  falling  leaf  of  day,"  said  the  Kisaki,  —  "  of 
the  day  which  is  sinking  into  the  past,  but  whose  mem- 
ory our  spirits  will  preserve  as  a  day  of  joy  and  peace, 
—  perhaps  the  last." 

She  turned  away  to  hide  her  tears,  which,  despite  her 
efforts,  flowed  fast. 

The  Prince's  heart  was  oppressed  with  inexpressible 


124  THE    USURPER. 

agony ;  he  was  like  the  victim  who  sees  the  knife  at  hia 
throat.  He  dared  not  speak,  lest  he  should  hasten  the 
sacrifice. 

Suddenly  the  Kisaki  turned  to  him. 

"  Prince,"  said  she,  "  I  have  something  to  say  to  you  : 
you  must  marry  Fatkoura." 

Nagato  stared  at  the  Queen  in  dismay;  he  saw  her 
eyes  were  wet  with  tears,  but  full  of  a  calm  and  irrevo- 
cable resolve. 

He  slowly  bowed  his  head.  "  I  will  obey,"  he  mur- 
mured. 

And  while  she  moved  quickly  away,  he  hid  his  face  in 
his  hands,  and  gave  vent  to  the  sobs  which  were  stifling 
him. 


THE    USURPER. 


CHAPTEE  XIII. 

i 

THE  MIKADO'S  THIRTY-THREE  DINNERS. 

E  sublime  Son  of  the  Gods  was  bored.  He  sat 
cross-legged  on  a  raised  dais  covered  with  mats, 
between  curtains  of  gold  brocade  which  hung  from  the 
ceiling  and  were  drawn  back  in  heavy  folds  on  either 
side.  A  succession  of  rooms  opened,  one  from  another, 
before  the  monarch's  gaze. 

He  thought  that  he  was  very  majestic ;  then  he 
yawned. 

The  one  hundred  and  ninth  Mikado,  Go-Mitzou-No,  al- 
though young,  was  excessively  fat,  —  made  so,  no  doubt, 
by  the  almost  constant  inaction  of  his  life.  His  face  was 
pale,  no  ray  of  sun  ever  resting  on  it ;  several  chins  re- 
posed upon  his  breast ;  his  purple  robes  fell  about  him 
in  ample  folds ;  the  lofty  plate  of  gold  adorned  his  brow. 
At  his  right  were  arranged  all  the  insignia  of  his  omnipo- 
tence, —  the  sword,  the  mirror,  and  the  iron  tablet. 

The  Mikado  found  his  existence  monotonous.  Every 
action  of  his  life  was  arranged  in  advance,  and  must  be 
accomplished  in  accordance  with  the  most  minute  eti- 
quette. If  he  left  the  precincts  of  the  palace,  he  was  shut 
up  in  a  superb  vehicle  drawn  by  buffaloes ;  but  he  felt  suf- 
focated in  that  close  box,  and  preferred  to  remain  on  his 
throne.  If  he  wished  to  admire  the  flowers  hi  his  garden 
beds,  he  must  go  out  in  company  with  a  vast  suite,  and  the 


126  THE    USURPER. 

annals  of  the  kingdom  made  careful  note  of  the  event. 

The  greater  part  of  his  time  was  supposed  to  be  passed 

.  in  meditation  :  but  to  tell  the  truth,  he  meditated  very 

little  ;  his  intellect  had  become  blunted.     When  he  tried 

<to  think,  the  strangeness  of  the  ideas  that  buzzed  con- 
fusedly through  his  brain  astonished  him.  Some  of  his 
fancies  were  criminal,  some  ludicrous.  The  latter  amused 
him ;  but  he  dared  not  laugh,  knowing  that  he  was 
watched.  He  would  then  strive  to  bring  his  mind  back 
to  celestial  things ;  but  it  wearied  him,  and  he  returned 
to  his  whimsical  dreams.  Sometimes  he  was  seized  by 
an  irresistible  desire  to  move  about,  to  run  and  jump 
and  leap ;  but  that  would  ill  comport  with  the  silent 
immobility  appropriate  to  the  descendant  of  the  Gods. 
One  day,  however,  —  or  rather  one  night,  —  he  mysteri- 
ously achieved  his  desire.  He  slipped  out  of  bed,  and 
while  all  around  him  slept,  he  performed  a  wild  dance ; 
no  one  ever  knew  it,  —  at  least  so  he  thought.  As  he 
never  saw  anything  but  the  bent  back  of  his  subjects,  he 
may  really  have  supposed  that  he  belonged  to  a  superior 
race,  and  that  the  common  herd  of  men  walked  on  all 
fours.  And  yet  he  thought  that  they  sometimes  treated 
him  like  a  child.  His  bow  and  arrows  were  taken  away, 
because  on  one  occasion,  while  a  body  of  delegates  from 
the  Shogun  lay  prostrate  before  .his  throne,  he  let  fly  an 
arrow  at  the  highest  dignitary  among  them.  In  spite  of 
the  rage  which  sometimes  boiled  within  him,  he  dared  not 
rebel ;  his  inaction,  the  perpetual  association  with  women, 
who  alone  could  serve  him,  had  weakened  his  courage. 
He  felt  that  he  was  at  the  mercy  of  his  ministers ;  he 
feared  lest  he  should  be  assassinated. 

And  yet,  at  times,  an  immense  pride  took  possession 
of  him  ;  he  felt  divine  blood  course  through  his  veins  j 
he  knew  that  the  earth  was  not  worthy  to  be  trodden 


THE   USURPER.  127 

beneath  his  feet,  that  the  race  of  men  had  no  right  to 
behold  his  face ;  and  he  dreamed  of  making  thicker  still 
the  veils  which  separated  him  from  the  world.  Then, 
the  very  next  moment,  he  would  fancy  that  perfect 
happiness  lay  in  solitary  rambles  over  the  mountains,  in 
working  in  the  open  air,  in  being  the  lowliest  of  men ; 
then  he  would  be  seized  by  a  vague  despair,  he  would 
groan  and  bewail  his  fate.  But  he  was  soon  persuaded 
that  his  grief  was  nothing  but  a  homesick  longing  for 
heaven,  his  native  land. 

Just  now  the  Mikado  was  ready  to  receive  the  envoys 
from  Fide-Yori.  They  had  come  to  testify  the  latter's 
gratitude  towards  the  supreme  ruler,  who  had  conferred 
the  title  of  Shogun  upon  him. 

The  curtains  were  drawn  before  the  throne ;  then  the 
princes  were  ushered  in,  falling  at  once  upon  their  faces, 
with  arms  extended  in  front  of  them.  After  a  long 
delay  the  curtain  was  drawn  aside. 

Profound  silence  reigned  :  the  princes  remained  with 
their  faces  on  the  floor,  motionless. 

The  Mikado  considered  them  from  the  height  of  his 
throne,  and  made  silent  reflections  upon  the  arrangement 
of  the  folds  of  their  garments,  on  a  sash  end  which  had 
turned  over  and  showed  him  the  wrong  side.  He  thought 
that  the  crest  of  Satsuma,  a  cross  within  a  circle,  looked 
like  a  dormer  window  barred  by  two  bamboo  slats. 

Then  he  wondered  what  they  would  all  think  if  he 
•were  suddenly  to  utter  frantic  yells !  How  he  would 
like  to  see  them  jump  up,  with  stupefied  faces  ! 

In  a  few  moments  the  curtain  was  again  let  down ; 
the  princes  withdrew  backwards.  Not  one  word  had 
been  uttered. 

After  the  audience  the  Mikado  left  the  platform  and 
was  stripped  of  his  very  burdensome  state  dress.  Robed 


128  THE   USURPER. 

once  more  in  simpler  garments,  he  bent  his  steps  towards 
the  apartments  in  which  he  took  his  meals. 

Go-Mitzou-No  regarded  the  dinner-hour  as  the  most 
agreeable  moment  in  the  day ;  he  prolonged  it  as  much 
as  he  possibly  could.  The  Mikado  liked  good  living ; 
he  had  a  decided  preference  for  certain  dishes.  On 
account  of  these  preferences  a  terrible  difficulty  had 
formerly  arisen.  The  Son  of  the  Gods  could  not  rea- 
sonably be  expected  to  bend  his  lofty  mind  to  the  details 
of  the  kitchen  and  decide  upon  the  dishes  he  would  eat ; 
and  yet  no  more  could  he  submit  to  the  caprices  of  his 
cooks  or  his  ministers.  After  prolonged  reflection  the 
Mikado  found  a  way  to  reconcile  all  parties.  He  ordered 
that  thirty-three  entirely  different  dinners  should  be 
prepared  for  him  every  day,  to  be  served  in  thirty-three 
saloons.  It  then  only  remained  for  him  to  walk  through 
those  rooms,  and  choose  the  meal  that  pleased  him 
best. 

Sometimes  it  happened  that  after  eating  one  dinner 
he  would  go  into  another  hall  and  eat  a  second. 

When  he  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  first  of  the 
thirty-three  rooms,  twelve  very  noble  and  most  beautiful 
damsels  received  him.  They  alone  were  entitled  to  wait 
upon  him.  Their  hair,  in  the  presence  of  their  lord,  must 
be  undone,  and  hang  dishevelled  in  the  folds  of  their 
trailing  garments. 

The  Mikado  had  seated  himself  on  a  mat  before  the 
dinner  of  his  choice,  and  had  begun  to  eat,  when  the 
Kisaki  entered,  unannounced.  She,  too,  when  appearing 
before  the  supreme  master,  was  obliged  to  wear  her  hair 
flowing  loosely.  Her  superb  black  tresses  were  therefore 
unconfined,  and  fell  in  waves  to  the  very  ground. 

The  Mikado  raised  his  eyes  to  her  in  amazement,  and 
hurriedly  swallowed  the  morsel  that  he  had  in  his  mouth. 


THE   USURPER.  129 

"  My  beloved  companion,"  said  he,  "  I  did  not  expect 
to  see  you  !  " 

"  My  divine  lord,"  she  replied,  "  I  have  come  to  inform 
you  that  I  shall  very  soon  lose  one  of  my  women ;  the 
fair  Fatkoura  is  about  to  marry." 

"  Very  good  !  very  good  !  "  said  the  Mikado ;  "  and 
whom  1  " 

"  The  Prince  of  Nagato." 

"  Ah-ha !     I  consent  to  the  marriage." 

"And  what  princess  do  you  name  to  take  the  place  of 
the  one  who  is  to  leave  me  ? " 

"  I  will  name  any  one  whom  you  may  select." 

"  I  thank  you,  master,"  said  the  Kisaki ;  "and  I  depart 
from  your  divine  presence,  imploring  your  pardon  for 
having  dared  to  interrupt  your  repast." 

"  Oh,  it 's  no  matter !  "  said  Go-Mitzou-No,  who  hast- 
ened, as  soon  as  his  wife  had  gone,  to  make  up  for  lost 
time. 


130  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTEE  XIV. 

THE    HAWKING-PARTY. 

Qi  OME  days  after  the  reception  of  the  embassy,  to- 
^  war^s  the  tenth  hour  of  the  morning,  the  hour  of 
the  serpent,  a  young  cavalier  rode  at  full  speed  along  the 
road  which  leads  from  Osaka  to  Kioto. 

At  that  hour  the  road  is  very  crowded  ;  beasts  of  bur- 
den, pedlers,  men  and  women  of  the  people  pass  and 
repass  along  its  entire  length.  Peasants  carry  the  pro- 
duce of  their  fields  to  the  suburban  towns ;  they  are  on 
their  way  to  Fusini,  Yodo,  and  Firacca.  Merchandise  of 
every  kind  is  taken  from  Osaka  to  Kioto,  —  rice,  salt-fish, 
metals,  and  precious  woods  ;  while  Kioto  sends  to  the  city 
of  the  Shogun  tea,  silk,  bronze  vases,  and  various  sorts  of 
lacquered  ware. 

The  young  horseman  paid  not  the  faintest  heed  to  the 
crowd ;  he  gave  his  steed  the  reins,  and  urged  him  on  with 
his  voice.  Moreover,  the  road  was  always  free  before  him  ; 
people  sprang  quickly  aside  at  the  sound  of  the  furious 
galloping  feet,  and  the  passers-by  retreated  to  the  road- 
side, which  was  bordered  here  and  there  with  houses 
made  of  beech-wood. 

The  rider  moved  so  rapidly  that,  in  spite  of  all  their 
efforts,  the  curious  could  not  distinguish  his  features. 

"  It  'B  a  warrior,"  said  one ;  "  I  saw  the  gleam  of  his 
weapons." 


THE    USURPER.  131 

"That  was  no  great  thing  to  see,"  said  another;  "  every 
time  he  moved  he  glittered  like  lightning." 

"  It 's  a  warrior  of  high  rank  ;  I  saw  the  gold  thongs  of 
his  whip  of  office." 

"Is  he  a  general]" 

"Ask  the  swallow,  as  she  flies,  to  see  whether  the  cop- 
per horns  shine  upon  his  helmet ;  she  alone  is  capable 
of  overtaking  that  knight." 

When  he  reached  Kioto,  the  young  soldier  did  not  slacken 
his  pace ;  he  rode  through  the  city  at  a-  gallop,  and  enter- 
ing the  palace,  inquired  for  the  envoys  of  the  Shogun. 

"  They  are  at  the  summer-palace,"  was  the  answer ;  "  or 
rather  they  are  not  there.  They  have  joined  our  divine 
Kisaki  in  the  chase ;  they  started  at  sunrise." 

"  In  which  direction  did  they  go  1 " 

"  Towards  the  shores  of  Lake  Biva,  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,"  replied  the  lackey;  "but,  my  lord,  do  you 
wish  to  join  the  illustrious  hunters  ] " 

"  Bring  me  a  horse,"  said  the  young  man  coldly,  with- 
out answering  the  question. 

At  the  same  time  he  alighted,  and  the  servant  led 
away  his  weary  steed ;  soon  two  grooms  brought  forward 
another,  equipped,  and  full  of  spirit. 

The  soldier  again  mounted,  and  rode  away. 

Lake  Biva  lies  behind  the  chain  of  hills  that  surrounds 
Kioto.  To  reach  it,  several  valleys  must  be  traversed, 
and  many  roundabout  paths  pursued.  The  young  man 
could  not  keep  his  horse  at  a  steady  gallop,  on  account  of 
the  many  hills  up  and  down  which  lay  his  course.  Some- 
times, instead  of  following  the  windings  of  the  road,  he 
galloped  over  the  thick  grass  in  the  valleys,  to  cut  short 
his  journey.  At  the  end  of  an  hour  he  came  out  upon 
the  lake-shore  ;  but  then  he  did  not  know  which  way 
to  turn. 


132  THE   USURPER. 

The  lake,  blue  as  a  sapphire,  stretched  before  him  far 
as  the  eye  could  reach.  To  right  and  left  rose  small  copses 
and  thickets  and  brown  rocks ;  whilst  beyond  them  lay 
broad  pastures  covered  with  moss  and  heath.  Of  the 
hunt,  no  trace,  no  sign  by  which  he  might  guess  in  which 
direction  he  was  to  follow. 

The  young  soldier  seemed  in  no  wise  disconcerted  by 
this  circumstance ;  he  spurred  his  horse  up  a  slight  emi- 
nence and  gazed  around  him.  He  then  perceived,  in  the 
midst  of  a  bamboo  grove,  the  roof  of  a  tiny  temple  half 
buried  in  the  trees.  Thither  he  hurried,  and,  without 
dismounting,  rudely  struck  the  alarm-bell. 

The  noise  waked  the  keeper  of  the  temple,  a  bald- 
headed  old  bonze,  with  long,  thin  face. 

He  ran  out,  rubbing  his  eyes. 

"Do  you  know  which  way  the  royal  hunt  went?"  said 
the  young  man. 

"  This  morning  I  heard  the  barking  of  dogs,  the  neigh- 
ing of  horses,  and  loud  laughter,"  said  the  bonze ;  "  but 
I  saw  nothing.  The  hunters  did  not  pass  this  way." 

"  Then  they  must  have  gone  to  the  right,"  said  the 
warrior,  dropping  a  piece  of  silver  into  the  alms-chest 
covered  with  a  lattice  work  of  bamboo. 

He  started  off  at  a  gallop.  He  rode  for  a  long  time, 
pausing  occasionally  to  listen.  At  last  he  heard  a  distant 
barking,  although  the  shore  lay  desolate  before  him.  He 
stopped,  and  looked  in  all  directions. 

The  barking  came  from  the  mountains ;  the  sound  of 
horses'  hoofs  was  also  indistinctly  heard. 

Suddenly,  without  a  break,  the  sounds  became  loud 
and  clear.  Black  dogs  sprang  from  a  narrow  gorge  be- 
tween the  hills,  speedily  followed  by  men  on  horseback. 

The  entire  hunt  passed  before  the  young  man.  He 
recognized  the  Kisaki  by  the  red  gauze  veil  which  floated 


THE   USURPER.  133 

around  her.  Some  of  the  princesses  held  a  hooded  falcon 
upon  their  left  fist.  The  lords  bent  forward,  ready  to  let 
fly  their  arrows ;  each  grasped  a  huge  black  lacquer  bow. 

As  all  the  hunters  had  their  heads  thrown  back,  and 
were  watching  a  falcon  chasing  a  buzzard,  high  in  the 
heavens,  they  passed  without  observing  the  young  warrior. 
The  latter  at  once  rode  alongside  of  them. 

The  dogs  started  a  pheasant,  which  rose  screaming  from 
a  bush.  A  fresh  falcon  was  unleashed. 

As  he  rode,  the  soldier  sought  out,  among  the  nobles, 
the  Prince  of  Nagato,  and  approached  him. 

"Stay,  Iwakura!"  he  cried  ;  "  Fide-Yori  sends  me  to 
you." 

The  Prince  turned  his  head  with  a  start ;  he  drew  in 
his  horse.  They  lingered  behind. 

"  Signenari !  "  exclaimed  Nagato,  as  he  recognized  the 
young  leader.  "  What  has  happened  1 " 

"  I  bring  important  news,"  said  Signenari.  "  Civil  war 
threatens  us.  Hieyas  has  levied  armies ;  he  holds  half 
Japan.  With  an  amazing  promptitude,  he  has  collected 
large  forces,  —  far  superior  to  ours.  The  danger  is  im- 
minent ;  therefore  the  master  desires  to  rally  all  his  fol- 
lowers around  him." 

"Alas!  alas!"  cried  Nagato,  "the  future  alarms  me ! 
nmst  the  land,  then,  be  bathed  in  the  blood  of  its  own 
children  1  What  does  General  Yoke-Moura  say  ] " 

"  Yoke-Moura  is  full  of  energy  and  confidence ;  he  has 
assembled  a  council  of  war.  But  still  another  misfortune 
has  befallen  us  :  we  have  lost  the  Prince  of  Mayada." 

"  Is  he  dead,  that  dear  old  man  1 "  said  Nagato,  bowing 
his  head,  —  "  the  only  one  who  never  yielded  to  the  invad- 
ing power  of  Hieyas  !  He  could  not  have  loved  Fide- 
Yori  more  dearly,  had  he  been  his  father.  It  was  he 
who,  on  the  death  of  the  Tycoon,  brought  the  little  boy 


134  THE   USURPER. 

into  the  Hall  of  a  Thousand  Mats  and  presented  him  to 
the  princes,  who  swore  allegiance  to  him.  How  many 
have  betrayed  him  since  that  day.  How  many  more 
will  yet  betray  him  !  Poor  Mayada,  you  alone  could 
win  some  semblance  of  respect  from  Hieyas ;  now  he 
fears  nothing  mortal." 

"  He  shall  fear  us,  I  swear  it  to  you  !  "  cried  Signenari, 
with  an  heroic  flash  in  his  eye. 

"  You  are  right !  Forgive  me  for  this  temporary 
weakness,"  said  the  Prince,  lifting  his  head.  "  I  am  so 
crushed  with  grief  that  this  sad  news  overwhelmed  me 
for  an  instant." 

The  hunters  had  noticed  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  absence. 
Supposing  some  accident  had  occurred,  an  alarm  was 
raised,  and  the  whole  Court  came  flying  back. 

They  soon  perceived  the  Prince,  talking  with  Signenari. 
They  joined  and  surrounded  them,  asking  a  thousand 
questions.  The  dogs  barked,  some  of  the  horses  reared 
and  plunged ;  the  falconers  recalled  their  birds,  who 
refused  to  obey,  and  continued  to  pursue  their  prey. 

"  What  has  happened  1 "  said  one. 

"  It 's  a  messenger." 

"  Does  he  bring  tidings  from  Osaka  ? " 

"  Bad  news  ! " 

]S"agato  led  Signenari  to  the  Kisaki's  side. 

The  Queen  was  mounted  on  a  white  horse  covered  with 
a  network  of  pearls,  and  decked  with  silken  head-tassels. 

"  Here  is  the  bravest  of  your  soldiers,"  said  Nagato, 
turning  to  Signenari.  "  He  comes  from  Osaka." 

Signenari  bowed  low;  then  resumed  his  grave  and 
reserved  attitxide. 

"  Speak  !  "  said  the  Kisaki. 

"  Divine  Sovereign,  it  is  with  pain  that  I  disturb  your 
pleasures,"  said  Signenari ;  "  but  I  must  inform  you  that 


THE   USURPER.  135 

the  peace  of  your  kingdom  is  threatened.  Hieyas  has 
raised  a  part  of  Japan  in  revolt ;  he  is  preparing  to 
attack  Osaka,  that  he  may  usurp  the  power  intrusted 
to  your  servant  Fide-Yori  by  the  celestial  Mikado." 

"  Is  it  possible  ! "  exclaimed  the  Kisaki.  "  Would 
Hieyas  dare  commit  such  a  crime1?  Has  the  man  no 
soul,  that,  to  satisfy  his  insatiate  ambition,  he  does  not 
hesitate  to  arm  brothers  against  brothers,  and  to  shed 
on  Japanese  soil  the  blood  of  Japan's  sons?  Are  you 
sure  of  what  you  state  1 " 

u  The  news  was  brought  to  Osaka  last  night  by  mes- 
sengers sent  in  hot  haste  by  the  princes ;  the  latter  were 
hurriedly  striving  to  fortify  their  provinces.  The  Daimio 
of  Arima  arrived  this  morning  at  dawn  and  confirmed 
the  news  of  the  messengers.  Scouts  were  instantly  sent 
to  various  points,  and  the  Shogun  ordered  me  to  recall 
his  ambassadors  as  swiftly  as  possible,  to  hold  a  council." 

"  Let  us  return  to  the  palace,"  said  the  Kisaki. 

The  party  set  out  silently ;  only  the  princesses  whis- 
pered together  as  they  stared  at  the  young  warrior. 

"  What  a  beauty  he  is  !  " 

"  You  might  take  him  for  a  woman  ! " 

"  Yes  ;  but  what  daring  in  his  eye  !  " 

"  What  coldness  too !  His  tranquil  gravity  disquiets 
and  alarms." 

"  He  must  be  terrible  in  battle." 

"  Terrible,  too,  to  her  who  loves  him  ;  his  heart  seems 
to  be  of  steel,  like  his  sword.  Do  not  look  at  him  so 
steadily." 

Nagato  rode  up  to  the  Queen. 

"  These  events  will  delay  your  marriage,  Iwakura ! " 
said  she,  with  a  strange  feeling  of  delight. 

"-Yes,  Queen,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  and  the  chances  of 
war  are  many  ;  perhaps  it  may  never  take  place.  How- 


136  THE   USURPER. 

ever,  as  Fatkoura  is  publicly  known  as  my  betrothed,  1 
wish  her  to  go,  until  the  wedding,  to  my  castle  of  Hagui, 
where  she  will  live  with  my  father.  If  I  die,  she  will 
bear  my  name,  and  be  ruler  over  the  province  of 
Nagato." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  the  Kisaki ;  "  but  death  will 
spare  you.  I  will  make  vows  for  your  preservation." 

Nagato  looked  at  her  reproachfully.  He  dared  not 
speak,  but  his  eyes  expressed  his  thought ;  they  said 
plainly  :  "  You  know  that  death  would  be  sweeter  to  me 
than  the  union  which  you  force  me  to  make." 

The  Kisaki,  deeply  moved,  turned  away  her  head  and 
spurred  on  her  horse.  They  returned  to  the  Dairi. 

When  the  Mikado  learned  the  tidings  of  probable  war, 
he  seemed  afflicted ;  but  in  secret  he  rejoiced.  He  did 
not  love  the  Regent,  nor  did  he  care  much  more  for  the 
Shogun.  Although  he  was  their  sovereign  lord,  he  had  a 
confused  feeling  that  they  ruled  him.  He  knew  that  they 
both  kept  a  watchful'  eye  on  him,  and  he  feared  them. 
He  was  therefore  delighted  to  think  that  they  would 
mutually  inflict  on  each  other  all  the  evil  that  he  wished 
them  both. 

That  same  day  the  envoys  of  Fide-Yori  left  Kioto  and 
returned  to  Osaka. 


THE   USURPER.  137 


CHAPTEE   XV. 

THE  USURPER. 

TN  less  than  two  months,  as  Signenari  had  stated, 
-*-  Hieyas  had  made  himself  dreaded ;  he  had  at  his 
beck  and  call  an  army  which  public  report  numbered  at 
five  hundred  thousand.  The  provinces  of  Sagama,  Mikawa, 
and  Sourouga,  which  belonged  to  him,  had  furnished  large 
bodies  of  soldiers.  The  lord  of  Owari,  the  most  devoted 
of  Hieyas'  allies,  had  commanded  every  able-bodied  man 
in  his  principality  to  take  up  arms  ;  so  that  there  was  not 
a  laborer  left  upon  his  lands.  The  Prince  of  Tosa  was 
powerfully  entrenched  in  the  large  Island  of  Shikoku,  lying 
to  the  south  of  the  kingdom,  opposite  Osaka  Bay.  From 
that  point  he  threatened  the  Shogun's  capital. 

The  majority  of  the  sovereign  lords  of  Japan,  confident 
of  the  success  of  Hieyas,  lent  him  their  aid,  and  held 
their  forces  at  his  disposal. 

Hieyas  had  established  himself  at  Yeddo,  —  then  a  mere 
suburb,  whose  fine  strategic  position  tempted  him.  Sit- 
uated about  mid-distance  of  the  length  of  the  great  Island 
of  Nipon,  at  the  extreme  end  of  a  bay  which  cut  deeply 
into  the  land,  and  surrounded  by  high  mountains,  it  was 
easily  fortified,  and  once  fortified,  impregnable.  More- 
over, its  position  in  the  centre  of  Japan,  in  view  of  the 
small  width  of  the  island,  allowed  communication  by  land 
to  be  readily  cut  off  between  the  large  Island  of  Yezo,  the 


138  THE   USURPER. 

northern  part  of  Nipon,  and  its  southern  portion,  in  which 
lay  Kioto,  Osaka,  and  the  principalities  of  Fide-Yori's  par- 
tisans. In  this  way,  one  half  of  Japan  was  insulated, 
and  thus  forced  to  remain  neutral,  or  take  sides  with 
Hieyas. 

The  aged  Regent  displayed  an  unparalleled  activ- 
ity. In  spite  of  his  advanced  years  and  precarious  health, 
he  proceeded  to  every  spot  where  he  thought  his  in- 
fluence necessary.  With  those  princes  who  were  hostile  to 
him,  he  feigned  that  he  still  held  the  power  no  longer 
his,  and  claimed  from  them  the  number  of  troops  which 
they  were  bound  to  furnish  the  Government  in  time  of 
war.  Then  he  hastily  despatched  those  men  to  distant 
points.  In  case  his  enemies  learned  the  truth,  they  were 
thus  disabled  from  harming  him. 

But  after  realizing  these  daring  schemes,  and  preparing 
for  the  violent  struggle  necessary  in  order  to  usurp  the 
.supreme  power,  Hieyas  felt  so  weak,  so  enfeebled  by 
fever  and  pain,  that  he  imagined  he  was  about  to  die. 
He  speedily  summoned  his  son,  who  was  then  residing  at 
the  castle  of  Mikawa. 

Fide-Tadda,  son  of  Hieyas,  was  at  this  time  forty -five 
years  old.  He  was  a  man  of  no  great  personal  valor,  but 
patient,  persevering,  and  submissive  to  minds  superior 
to  his  own.  He  professed  a  boundless  admiration  for  his 
father.  He  instantly  hastened  to  the  side  of  Hieyas, 
taking  with  him  his  youngest  daughter,  a  lovely  girl  of 
fifteen. 

Hieyas  lived  in  a  stronghold  which  he  had  built  years 
before  at  Yeddo,  and  which  was  not  yet  wholly  finished. 
From  the  room  in  which  he  lay,  stretched  on  thick  cush- 
ions, he  saw  through  the  large  window  the  beautiful 
Fusiyama,  from  whose  snow-covered  summit  issued  a 
column  of  delicate  white  smoke. 


THE    USURPER.  139 

"  Is  that  your  daughter  *? "  said  Hieyas,  as  Fide-Tadda 
approached  him  with  the  girl. 

"  Yes,  illustrious  father ;  this  is  the  younger  sister  of 
the  Shogun's  wife." 

"  The  Shogun's  wife  !  "  repeated  Hieyas,  shaking  his 
head  and  sneering.  "  The  little  thing  is  very  pretty,"  he 
added,  after  inspecting  the  young  girl  minutely,  making 
her  blush  and  drop  her  long  black  lashes  on  her  cheeks. 
"  Take  good  care  of  her  ;  I  shall  need  her." 

Then  he  made  a  sign  to  dismiss  the  child. 

"  I  may  die,  my  son,"  he  said  when  he  was  alone  with 
Fide-Tadda ;  "  that  is  why  I  sent  for  you.  I  wish  to  give 
you  my  last  instructions,  —  to  trace  out  the  line  of  conduct 
which  you  are  to  follow  when  I  am  no  more." 

On  hearing  his  father  speak  in  this  way,  Fide-Tadda 
could  not  repress  his  tears. 

"  Stop,  stop  !  "  cried  Hieyas,  smiling ;  "  do  not  weep  for 
me  yet,  I  am  not  dead ;  and  you  shall  see  that  my  mind  , 
is  not  impaired,   as  that   old  Mayada  would  have  peo- 
ple think.     Listen  to  me,  and  treasure  my  words  in  your 
memory." 

"  Every  word  that  falls  from  your  mouth  is  to  me  what 
a  fine  pearl  would  be  to  a  miser." 

"  I  will  be  brief,"  said  Hieyas ;  "  talking  tires  me. 
Know  first,  my  son,  that  the  predecessor  of  Go-Mitzou-No, 
the  present  Mikado,  once  honored  me  with  the  title  of 
Shogun.  It  was  after  the  death  of  Taiko.  I  made  no 
parade  of  the  title,  not  wishing  to  offend  the  friends  of 
Fide-Yori.  I  allowed  the  princes  and  the  people  to  fall 
into  the  habit  of  calling  me  the  Regent.  What  mattered 
the  name  by  which  the  power  was  known,  so  long  as  the 
power  rested  in  my  hands  1  But  now  the  title  of  Shogun 
is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  me,  for  it  is  hereditary, 
and  I  can  abdicate  in  your  favor.  You  spoke  just  now 


140  THE   USURPER. 

of  the  Shogun.  I  am  the  Shogun.  Fide-Yori  did  indeed 
receive  the  same  title,  and  I  never  reminded  his  insolent 
councillors  that  it  was  really  mine.  I  acted  prudently. 
I  was  in  their  hands ;  they  might  have  slain  me.  But 
now  I  undertake  this  war,  —  be  well  assured  of  it,  —  as  sole 
representative  of  the  legal  power.  I  have  had  embroid- 
ered on  my  banners  the  three  chrysanthemum  leaves, 
the  insignia  given  me  by  the  former  Mikado  ;  and  it  is  in 
the  name  of  his  heir  that  I  lead  my  armies  on  to  battle. 
I  act  without  his  authority,  true ;  but  as  soon  as  I  gain 
the  victory  he  will  approve  my  acts." 

Hieyas  paused  for  an  instant,  and  drank  a  little  tea. 

"  Only,"  he  soon  resumed,  "  death  may  surprise  me,  —  it 
threatens  me  even  now ;  and  my  work  must  be  finished 
after  I  am  gone.  That  is  why  I  now  abdicate  in  your 
favor.  You  will  remain  at  the  castle  of  Mikawa,  sheltered 
from  the  hazards  of  war,  watching  over  your  daughter, 
who  may  serve  for  one  of  my  plans>  until  the  day  when 
victory  shall  proclaim  you  master  of  Japan  ;  then  you 
will  establish  your  residence  at  Yeddo,  the  best-situated 
city  in  the  kingdom.  Now  I  will  try  to  put  clearly  be- 
fore you  the  object  for  which  you  are  to  strive  in  your 
government  of  the  nation.  Taiko-Sama,  who  was  a  man 
of  genius,  although  he  was  the  son  of  a  peasant,  conceived 
the  plan,  as  soon  as  he  gained  power,  of  uniting  the  sixty- 
one  petty  kingdoms  composing  Japan  into  a  single  king- 
dom, to  be  ruled  by  the  Shogun.  The  life  of  one  man 
was  not  long  enough  to  see  this  project  realized.  Taiko, 
nevertheless,  undertook  it  with  great  vigor,  always  care- 
fully concealing  his  intentions.  I  alone  was  the  confi- 
dant of  his  hopes,  and  hitherto  I  have  revealed  them  to 
no  one.  When  Taiko  plunged  the  princes  into  the  war 
with  China,  which  seemed  to  so  many  an  act  of  madness, 
it  was  done  to  weaken  the  nobles  by  a  costly  war,  and 


THE   USURPER.  141 

to  keep  them  away  from  their  provinces  for  a  time. 
While  he  led  them  to  the  field,  I  carried  out  his  orders  at 
home.  I  superintended  the  construction  of  the  Tokaido,  — 
that  broad  road  which  impudently  passes  directly  through 
regions  formerly  subject  to  their  own  princes  only;  I 
summoned  to  Osaka  the  wives  and  children  of  the  absent 
lords,  under  pretext  of  protecting  them  from  all  danger, 
if  by  any  accident  the  Chinese  army  should  invade  the 
land.  When  the  princes  returned,  we  refused  to  let  the 
women  go  home.  They  were  to  live  permanently  at 
Osaka  ;  they  are  still  there,  precious  hostages,  who  answer 
for  the  fidelity  of  their  husbands  and  fathers.  As  Taiko 
was  also  a  great  warrior,  victory  crowned  his  dangerous 
enterprise  and  strengthened  his  power. 

"  The  Mikado  had  long  paid  little  heed  to  the  affairs 
of  the  empire.  Taiko  thought  it  well  that  he  should  pay 
even  less  attention  to  them ;  he  made  his  power  imag- 
inary .  . .  Listen  ! "  continued  Hieyas,  lowering  his  voice  : 
"  this  power  must  be  diminished  still  more ;  the  Mikado 
must  retain  merely  the  title  of  sovereign.  Load  him  with 
honors,  deify  him  more  and  more,  so  that  he  may  lift  his 
eyes  to  heaven,  and  turn  them  away  from  earth  forever. 

"  Taiko  was  interrupted  by  death  in  the  execution  of 
his  task,  which  was  but  just  begun ;  the  princes  are  still 
powerful  and  rich.  Continue  this  work  after  me ;  par- 
cel out  the  kingdoms,  sow  discord  between  the  nobles. 
If  two  friends  hold  neighboring  principalities,  forbid 
them  to  reside  within  their  domains  at  one  and  the  same 
time ;  if  they  are  foes,  on  the  contrary,  let  them  dwell 
together.  War  will  break  out  between  them,  and  one 
at  least  will  be  enfeebled.  Always  keep  their  wives  at 
Yeddo.  Bring  into  fashion  a  ruinous  luxury ;  the  women 
will  help  you  in  this.  Empty  the  coffers  of  their  hus- 
bands, that  they  may  be  forced  to  sell  their  estates. 


142  THE   USURPER. 

But  if  one  of  them  be  rich  enough  to  provide  for  all  these 
outlays,  pay  him  a  visit,  and  oblige  him  to  spend  his 
last  bit  of  gold  to  receive  such  an  honor  fitly.  Be  careful 
to  close  Japan  strictly  against  all  strangers  :  the  princes 
might  make  formidable  alliances  with  them.  Therefore 
let  no  ship  coming  from  distant  countries  enter  our  ports. 
Seek  out  the  Christians  and  massacre  them  remorselessly : 
they  are  capable  of  fomenting  revolt  and  insubordination. 
You  understand  me  fully,  my  son  1  You  must  strive  to 
make  of  Japan  a  single  empire,  subject  to  but  one  master. 
But  this  end  will  be  long  and  difficult  of  attainment,  and 
man's  life  is  brief;  wherefore,  when  time  has  blanched 
your  hair,  you  must  summon  your  son,  as  I  summoned  you 
to-day,  and  transmit  my  words  to  him.  I  have  finished." 

"  Father,"  said  Fide-Tadda,  kneeling  before  Hieyas, 
"I  swear  to  fulfil  your  wishes  to  the  letter." 

"  Good,  my  child ;  but  send  for  the  doctor,"  said  Hieyas, 
who  breathed  laboriously,  exhausted  by  his  long  discourse. 

The  doctor  was  brought. 

"  Illustrious  scholar,"  said  Hieyas,  looking  fixedly  at 
him,  "  am  I  very  ill  1  " 

"  No,  master,"  said  the  doctor,  with  some  hesitation. 

"  I  command  you  to  speak  nothing  but  the  truth.  Am 
I  very  ill  1  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  physician. 

"  In  danger  of  death  ]  " 

"  Not  yet ;  but  the  life  of  fatigue  which  you  lead  may 
hasten  your  end." 

"  Could  I  live  to  see  the  end  of  the  war  which  I  am 
undertaking,  supposing  that  it  should  last  six  moons  1" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  said  the  doctor  ;  "you  might  even  prolong 
the  war  considerably  beyond  that  time." 

"  Well !  then  I  am  rich,"  cried  Hieyas,  laughing.  "  I 
need  not  be  in  haste ;  I  will  take  a  few  days  of  rest." 


THE   USURPER.  143 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

THE  FISHERMEN  OF  OSAKA  BAY. 

A  STRANGE  commotion  reigned  in  the  castle  of  Fide- 
-£X  Yori.  Military  leaders,  clad  in  ponderous  cuirasses, 
constantly  passed  through  the  gate  in  the  outer  wall ; 
the  ti-ead  of  their  horses'  hoofs  re-echoed  from  the  lofty 
vaulted  roof.  They  hurriedly  entered  the  third  enclosure, 
and  reached  the  Shogun's  palace. 

Fide-Yori,  in  a  room  opening  from  the  Hall  of  a  Thou- 
sand Mats,  was  holding  council,  surrounded  by  the  chiefs 
of  his  army  and  those  princes  who  were  most  loyal  to 
him. 

The  young  Shogun's  brow  was  clouded;  he  did  not 
hide  his  anxiety,  shared  by  most  of  the  warriors.  Some, 
however,  full  of  trust  and  ardor,  strove  to  raise  their 
master's  courage. 

"  Our  situation  is  not  desperate,"  said  General  Sanada- 
Sayemon-Yoke-Moura,  the  most  skilful  soldier  in  the 
empire ;  "  we  must  face  it  coolly.  Hieyas  has  but  one 
advantage  over  us  :  while  we  had  no  thought  of  war,  he 
was  collecting  his  armies ;  he  is  ready  to  begin  the  strife ; 
we  are  not  prepared.  But  in  a  few  days  this  inferiority 
will  cease  to  exist ;  our  troops  will  be  in  marching  order, 
and,  the  contest  will  become  equal.  For  the  present, 
therefore,  we  must  occupy  the  enemy  with  trifling  skir- 
mishes, —  keep  him  at  a  distance,  —  while  we  assemble 
our  forces  around  Osaka." 


144  THE   USURPER.       . 

"  My  advice  is,  that  you  should  attack  Hieyas  at  once, 
and  not  allow  him  to  assume  the  offensive,"  said  General 
Harounaga,  a  soldier  of  little  merit,  who  had  been  rap- 
idly promoted  by  the  active  protection  of  Yodogimi,  the 
Shogun's  mother. 

"  How  can  you  think  of  such  a  thing  1 "  exclaimed 
young  Signenari.  "Our  army  would  be  slaughtered  in 
a  few  hours  by  forces  three  times  its  size.  We  must 
occupy  the  forts,  and  protect  ourselves  from  any  surprise 
until  all  our  forces  are  assembled.  If  Hieyas  has  not  then 
attacked  us,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  take  the  offensive." 

"  I  maintain  my  proposition,"  said  Harounaga.  "  I 
have  an  idea  that  Hieyas's  army  is  not  nearly  so  numer- 
ous as  you  suppose.  How,  in  the  space  of  a  single  moon, 
could  he  make  himself  so  formidable  1 " 

"  We  cannot  act  on  suppositions,"  said  Yoke-Moura ; 
"and  we  are  in  no  condition  to  make  an  attack.  The 
first  thing  to  be  done  is  to  increase  the  army." 

"  How  many  soldiers  have  we  at  the  present  time  ? " 
asked  Fide-Yori. 

"Let  me  see,"  said  Yoke-Moura  :  "Signenari,  who,  in 
spite  of  his  youth,  has  just  been  honored  with  the  rank 
of  general,  has  twenty  thousand  men  under  him ;  Ha- 
rounaga has  as  many;  Moto-Tsoumou  and  Massa-Nori 
each  command  ten  thousand  soldiers  ;  Moritzka  has  fifteen 
thousand,  and  Yama-Kava  five  thousand.  I  am  at  the 
head  of  thirty  thousand  troops.  That  makes  a  total  of 
one  hundred  and  ten  thousand  soldiers." 

"  By  what  means  shall  we  swell  the  list  1 "  said  the 
Shogun. 

"You  do  not  consider,  master,"  said  Yoke-Moura,  "that 
the  Princes  have  not  yet  sent  in  the  troops  which  they  are 
bound  to  furnish  you  in  time  of  war,  and  that  these  troops 
will  at  least  treble  the  number  of  your  army." 


THE   USURPER.  145 

"  Nor  must  we  forget,"  cried  the  Prince  of  Aki,  "  that 
certain  provinces  are  directly  threatened  by  Hieyas  or  his 
allies,  and  that  those  provinces  will  be  obliged  to  withhold 
their  soldiers,  under  penalty  of  instant  invasion." 

"  The  most  exposed  provinces,"  said  Signenari,  glancing 
at  a  map,  "are  those  of  Satsuma,  Nagato,  and  Aki,  on 
account  of  their  vicinity  to  the  principalities  of  Figo 
and  Tosa." 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Fide-Yori,  "  have  the  Prince  of 
Figo  and  the  Prince  of  Tosa  deserted  me?" 

"  Alas  !  friend,"  said  Nagato,  " you  did  not  know  it;  and 
yet  I  long  since  told  you  of  their  treachery.  But  your 
pure  soul  cannot  believe  in  crime." 

"  If  it  be  so,"  said  the  Shogun,  "  the  Princes  must  keep 
their  soldiers,  and  return  at  once  to  take  command  of 
them.  You  must  leave  me,  Iwakura." 

"  I  will  send  a  substitute,"  said  the  Prince  of  Nagato. 
"  I  have  decided  to  remain  here.  But  let  us  not  think 
of  that ;  let  us  hasten  to  act,  and  to  send  our  troops  to 
their  various  posts  ;  let  no  time  be  lost  in  idle  words." 

"I  agree  with  Yoke-Moura,"  said  the  Shogun;  "the 
enemy  must  be  kept  off  from  Osaka  while  we  assemble 
our  forces." 

"Let  General  Moritzka  start  immediately  with  his 
fifteen  thousand  men,"  said  Yoke-Moura;  "let  him  pro- 
ceed to  the  province  of  Isye,  and  inform  the  prince  who 
governs  that  country  of  our  plan  for  defence.  He  can 
leave  him  five  thousand  men,  with  orders  to  watch  the 
movements  of  the  lord  of  Owari,  his  neighbor,  and  to 
blockade  his  fortress,  if  possible.  Then  let  Moritzka  trav- 
erse the  breadth  of  Japan ;  and,  leaving  on  the  frontiers 
of  the  rebellious  provinces  as  many  men  as  he  may  deem 
requisite,  enter  the  principality  of  Wakasa,  and  there 
establish  himself.  With  the  armies  levied  by  the  princes 
10 


146  THE    USURPER. 

of  that  region  we  shall  soon  have  nearly  forty  thousand 
men  on  the  frontier.  Yama-Kava  and  his  five  thousand 
soldiers  will  encamp  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Biwa,  behind 
Kioto ;  the  Knights  of  Heaven  can  then  join  them,  and 
take  up  their  quarters  on  the  heights.  Harounaga  will 
lead  his  army  to  Yamashiro,  and  cover  Osaka  on  the  north  ; 
Signenari  will  occupy  the  Island  of  Awadsi,  to  the  south 
of  Osaka,  and  hold  in  check  the  traitor  lords  of  Tosa  and 
Figo,  whose  attack  at  this  time  would  be  much  to  be 
dreaded.  The  rest  of  the  army  will  remain  in  the  sub- 
urbs of  the  city,  ready  to  move  to  those  points  most  in 
danger." 

"  There  is  no  change  to  be  made  in  the  plan  which  you 
propose,"  said  the  Shogun  ;  "  let  all  be  done  as  you  direct, 
and  without  delay." 

The  Generals  knelt  in  turn  before  the  Shogun ;  then 
left  the  room. 

"  Princes,"  said  the  Shogun  to  the  nobles  who  re- 
mained with  him,  "  retum  to  your  estates.  Let  those 
whose  domains  are  threatened  retain  their  soldiers ;  let 
the  others  immediately  send  me  all  the  men  at  their 
disposal.  ' 

The  princes  bowed  before  their  master,  in  order  of  their 
rank,  —  Satsuma,  Ouesougui,  Arima,  Aki,  Wakasa;  then 
they  withdrew.  Fide-Yori  was  left  alone  with  Nagato. 

"  Iwakura,"  he  said,  looking  him  in  the  eye,  "  what  do 
you  think  of  this  war  1 " 

"  I  think  that  it  will  be  bloody ;  but  justice  is  on  our 
side.  Even  if  conquered,  we  shall  be  noble  and  glorious  ; 
and  Hieyas,  were  he  victor,  would  be  covered  with  reproach. 
We  have  youth,  strength,  and  energy.  Hope  marches 
before  our  armies." 

"  I  thank  you,  friend,  for  your  attempt  to  encourage 
me  by  your  own  confidence.  My  heart  is  full  of  anxiety." 


THE   USURPER.  147 

"  I  must  leave  you,  master,"  said  the  Prince  of  Na- 
gato  ;  "  I  must  call  together  my  troops." 

"  What  do  you  mean  1 " 

"Do  you  think  that  I  would  rest  inactive,  iiseless,  here  1 
Do  you  think  that  I  would  look  on  and  see  others  slay- 
ing and  being  slain,  and  not  join  the  fray?  I  have  no 
soldiers,  but  I  will  find  some." 

"  At  least,  I  entreat  you  not  to  summon  those  who  guard 
your  lands;  do  not  leave  your  domains  open  to  invasion." 

"  I  have  no  idea  of  doing  so,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  I  will 
not  send  for  those  soldiers.  Not  that  I  care  to  preserve 
my  principality,  but  my  father  resides  at  the  castle  of 
Hagui,  and  my  betrothed  has  lately  joined  him.  I  must 
shield  their  precious  lives  behind  the  living  rampart  of 
my  loyal  army.  Not  one  man  shall  leave  the  province 
of  Nagato." 

"  Well,  where  will  you  get  the  troops  of  which  you 
speak?"  asked  the  Shogun. 

"That  is  a  secret,"  said  the  Prince.  "  When  my  forces 
have  accomplished  some  valiant  deed,  I  will  bring  the 
men  before  you." 

"I  cannot  guess  your  schemes,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "but  I 
am  sure  that  you  will  do  nothing  that  is  not  noble  and 
heroic.  Go,  my  friend." 

Prince  Nagato  returned  to  his  palace,  where  he  found 
assembled  some  twenty  samurai,  his  vassals,  who  came  to 
ask  his  orders. 

"  Hold  yourself  in  readiness  to  travel,"  said  the  Prince ; 
"  collect  your  servants  and  prepare  your  baggage.  Before 
sunset  you  shall  know  my  purpose." 

Nagato  went  up  to  his  own  apartments;  but  as  he 
approached  them  a  strange  noise  fell  upon  his  ear. 

"  What  is  going  on  ? "  he  muttered.  He  hurriedly 
entered  the  room  opening  from  his  bedchamber.  He  then 


148  THE   USURPER. 

discovered  that  it  was  little  Loo  who  was  making  all  this 
uproar  by  his  own  unaided  efforts.  He  was  armed  with  a 
notched  sword,  and  revolved  around  a  screen  decorated 
with  life-sized  figures  of  warriors.  Loo  stamped  his  foot, 
uttered  singular  howls,  insulted  these  motionless  war- 
riors, and  transfixed  them  mercilessly  with  his  weapon. 

"  What  are  you  about  there  1 "  cried  the  Prince,  half 
angry,  half  amused. 

Loo,  at  sight  of  his  master,  threw  down  his  sword  and 
fell  on  his  knees. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean  1 "  repeated  Nagato.  "  Why 
are  you  hacking  my  furniture  to  pieces  1 " 

"  I  am  practising  for  the  war,"  said  Loo,  in  a  voice 
which  he  vainly  strove  to  render  piteous.  "  That,"  ho 
added,  pointing  to  the  screen,  "is  the  castle  of  Owari, 
with  its  garrison ;  I  was  the  army  of  the  Shogun." 

The  Prince  bit  his  lips,  to  hide  his  mirth. 

"  Would  you  be  brave,  Loo  1 "  said  he. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  said  the  child ;  "  and  if  my  sword  only  cut, 
I  should  fear  no  one." 

"  I  fancy  that  if  these  warriors,  instead  of  silk  and 
satin,  were  made  of  flesh  and  blood,  you  would  take  to 
your  heels  in  a  trice." 

"  Not  at  all ! "  cried  Loo,  squatting  on  his  heels.  "  I 
am  often  very  bad,  and  I  often  get  into  a  fight.  Once 
I  pulled  a  gatekeeper's  ear  because  he  would  not  let  me 
pass,  pretending  it  was  too  late.  While  he  called  for 
help  and  held  on  to  his  ear,  I  jumped  over  the  gate. 
Another  time  I  was  chasing  a  stork,  which  I  had  wounded 
with  a  stone,  when  a  big  dog  came  at  me  with  his  mouth 
open.  I  caught  him  by  the  neck,  and  gave  him  such  a 
squeeze  that  he  ran  off  yelping ;  but  I  was  very  angry 
with  that  dog,  all  the  same,  because  I  lost  the  stork 
meantime." 


THE   USURPER.  149 

The  Prince  meditated  as  he  listened  to  Loo's  stories. 
He  remembered  that  he  had  often  heard  of  his  exploits ; 
they  had  been  reported  to  him,  with  the  advice  to  dismiss 
his  youthful  follower. 

"  "Would  you  like  to  go  to  the  war  with  me  1 "  said  he, 
suddenly. 

"  0  master,"  cried  Loo,  clasping  his  hands,  "  I  entreat 
you  to  take  me  !  I  am  more  supple  than  a  serpent,  more 
agile  than  a  cat ;  I  can  slip  in  anywhere.  You  shall  see 
that  I  can  make  myself  useful.  Besides,  the  very  first 
time  that  I  arn  frightened,  you  can  cut  off  my  head." 

"  It  is  a  bargain,"  said  the  Prince,  smiling.  "  Go,  put 
on  a  very  simple  dress  of  some  dark  color,  and  hold  your- 
self ready  to  accompany  me.  I  shall  want  you  to-night." 

Nagato  went  into  his  chamber,  while  Loo,  wild  with 
delight,  ran  off  with  a  bound. 

The  Prince  was  about  to  strike  upon  a  bell  to  summon 
his  servants,  when  he  thought  he  heard  a  faint  scratching 
under  the  floor.  He  stopped  and  listened ;  the  noise 
was  repeated  more  distinctly.  Nagato  closed  the  open 
panels  around  the  room ;  then,  coming  back  to  that  point 
in  the  floor  where  the  noise  was  heard,  he  lifted  the  mat, 
and  searched  for  a  knot  in  the  wood,  upon  which  he 
pressed  his  finger.  A  portion  of  the  floor  then  slid  aside, 
and  discovered  a  staircase,  leading  down  into  darkness. 
A  man  mounted  the  last  steps,  and  entered  the  room. 
At  the  first  glance  the  fellow  looked  like  Nagato ;  he 
seemed  like  a  rough  sketch  for  the  perfect  statue  realized 
in  the  Prince. 

"  Where  have  you  been,  my  poor  Sado  1 "  said  the 
Prince.  "  I  had  forgotten  you." 

"I  have  married;  I  am  happy,"  said  Sado. 
"Ah  !  I  remember,  now,  —  the  story  of  the  princes  dis- 
guised as  blind  men,  and  carrying  off  a  whole  family ! 


150  THE   USURPER. 

You  have  a  pretty  wit.  That  adventure  occupied  many 
idle  minds  for  weeks.  But  what  do  you  want  *?  Do  you 
lack  money  1 " 

"Master,  I  came  to  tell  you  that  I  am  ashamed  of  the 
life  which  I  lead." 

"  What !     Have  you  forgotten  our  agreement  ? " 

"  No,  your  Highness  ;  I  forget  nothing.  I  was  a  crimi- 
nal ;  I  was  about  to  be  beheaded  when  you  pardoned  me, 
because  your  illustrious  father  exclaimed,  as  he  saw  me  : 
'  That  man  looks  like  you,  Iwakura ! ' " 

"  I  pardoned  you  also,"  said  the  Prince,  "  because,  in 
my  eyes,  your  crime  was  slight ;  you  killed  your  enemy 
to  avenge  an  insult,  nothing  more.  But  what  were  the 
conditions  of  my  pardon  ]  " 

"  Blind  obedience,  devotion  unto  death.  I  came  to 
remind  you  of  that  to-day." 

"What?" 

"  Unto  death  ..."  repeated  Sado,  emphasizing  each 
syllable. 

"  Well,  you  still  live ;  you  are  not  released  from  your 
oath." 

"  Master,"  said  Sado,  in  a  serious  tone,  "  I  am  of  noble 
origin ;  my  ancestors  were  vassals  of  your  ancestors,  and 
until  the  day  when  indignation  led  me  to  commit  a  crime, 
no  stain  ever  dimmed  the  lustre  of  our  name.  You  saved 
me  from  death ;  and  instead  of  making  me  expiate  my 
error  by  a  laborious  life,  you  made  my  existence  an  un- 
ending feast.  In  your  name  I  have  enacted  a  thousand 
mad  freaks ;  I  have  displayed  a  reckless  luxury ;  I  have 
enjoyed  life,  fortune,  honors,  as  if  I  were  an  all-powerful 
prince." 

"  Well,  you  did  me  a  favor  by  executing  my  orders ; 
no  more.  Your  resemblance  to  me  served  to  deceive  my 
enemies  and  cheat  their  spies." 


THE   USURPER.  151 

"You  have  driven  your  enemies  away  for  the  pres- 
ent," continued  Sado ;  "  and  my  role  of  young  madcap 
is  ended.  But  consider,  your  Highness,  what  services  I 
might  render  you  in  the  war  now  beginning.  Thanks  to 
skilfully  prepared  cosmetics,  I  can  make  my  face  present 
a  perfect  image  of  your  own ;  I  am  accustomed  to  imitate 
your  voice  and  gait.  Many  of  your  friends  know  me  only, 
and  to  them  I  am  the  true  Prince  of  Nagato.  What  aa 
advantage  to  possess  a  double  on  the  field  of  battle !  I 
could  attract  the  enemy  in  one  direction,  while  you  acted 
on  the  opposite  side.  You  would  be  thought  here,  while 
you  were  elsewhere.  I  have  accomplished  my  mission 
well  when  it  was  only  necessary  to  play  the  fool,  and  spend 
money  by  the  handful.  I  will  do  even  better  when  I 
must  be  brave,  and  shed  my  blood  for  you." 

"  Your  noble  origin  is  revealed  by  your  words,"  said  the 
Prince,  "  and  I  esteem  you  highly  enough  to  accept  your 
offer.  I  know  your  ability  in  matters  of  war ;  it  will  be 
valuable  to  us.  But  you  must  know  that  the  risks  will 
be  very  great  in  this  conflict." 

"My  life  is  yours,  —  do  not  forget  that,  master;  arid 
if  chance  destines  me  to  die  for  you  some  day,  the  stain 
upon  my  name  will  be  effaced." 

"Very  well,"  said  the  Prince,  hurriedly.  "You  will 
set  off  for  my  dominions ;  the  neighboring  lords  threaten 
them  seriously.  You  will  put  yourself  at  the  head  of 
my  troops ;  you  will  defend  the  territory.  But  my  sup- 
posed presence  in  my  kingdom  may  attract  around  it 
many  enemies.  Remember,  whatever  happens,  to  uphold 
the  honor  of  my  name ;  remember  that  to  all  you  are  the 
Prince  of  Nagato." 

"By  dint  of  imitating  you  I  have  acquired  something 
of  your  spirit,"  said  Sado.  "  I  swear  to  be  worthy  of 
you ! " 


152  THE   USURPER. 

"  I  trust  you,"  said  the  Prince.  "  I  know  how  intelli- 
gently you  have  carried  out  the  strange  character  which 
I  confided  to  you ;  all  the  adventures  performed  by  you 
in  my  name  ended  to  my  honor.  That  is  why  I  give  you 
full  powers  now.  You  will  leave  here,  taking  with  you  a 
numerous  suite,  and  I  will  take  the  subterranean  road. 
Tell  me  where  it  comes  out." 

"  There  are  two  exits,  master,"  said  Sado,  —  "  one  which 
opens  into  a  hut  occupied  by  a  fisherman,  on  the  shores 
of  the  Yedogava ;  the  other,  into  my  wife's  house.  For, 
as  I  told  you,  I  have  married  a  charming  young  girl,  whom 
I  loved." 

"  What  will  become  of  her  if  you  die  1 " 

"  I  leave  her  in  your  care,  my  lord." 

"  Make  all  your  arrangements  in  regard  to  her  at  once," 
said  the  Prince.  "  I  too  may  be  killed,  and  not  return  ; 
my  treasury  is  at  your  discretion." 

"  Thanks,  generous  Prince,"  said  Sado,  kneeling  at 
Nagato's  feet.  "  Have  you  any  further  commands  1 " 

"You  will  give  the  Shogun  the  letter  which  I  am  about 
to  write." 

The  Prince  took  a  sheet  of  paper  made  from  the  fibre 
of  the  bamboo,  and  decorated  with  blossoming  bind- 
weed, and  wrote  rapidly  :  — 

"  MASTER,  —  If  they  tell  you  that  I  have  changed  my  mind,  and 
have  gone  to  my  estates,  do  not  believe  it,  but  let  them  say  so  still. 

"IWAKURA." 

He  handed  the  note  to  Sado.  "  Now,"  said  he,  "  hide 
yourself  an  instant  behind  that  screen,  that  no  one  may 
see  us  together.  When  I  have  gone,  you  will  proceed 
according  to  my  orders." 

"  May  happiness  go  with  you ! "  said  Sado,  concealing 
himself. 

"  Thanks  for  the  wish,"  said  the  Prince,  sighing.     He 


THE   USURPER.  153 

drew  aside  a  panel,  and  called  Loo.  The  little  servant 
hastened  in.  He  was  dressed  like  an  artisan's  child,  but 
had  put  his  sword  in  his  girdle.  He  helped  his  master 
to  don  a  costume  without  any  ornament ;  then  the  Prince, 
opening  a  box,  wrapped  in  his  sash  a  considerable  sum  of 
money. 

"Now  let  us  be  off,"  said  he,  approaching  the  stair- 
case. 

Loo  looked  at  the  open  trap-door,  without  showing  the 
least  surprise.  A  lighted  lantern  stood  on  the  upper 
step.  He  took  the  lantern,  and  began  to  descend ;  the 
Prince  followed  him,  and  closed  the  trap-door.  They  then 
went  down  fifty  steps,  and  found  themselves  in  a  small 
square  chamber,  very  damp  and  cold,  which  had  two 
outlets. 

"In  which  direction  shall  we  go,  master1?"  asked  Loo, 
looking  at  the  diverging  paths. 

The  Prince  paused  to  take  his  bearings ;  then  said  :  "  To 
the  right." 

They  entered  the  narrow  corridor,  supported  here  and 
there  by  large  upright  posts  of  black  wood,  and  walked  for 
about  half  an  hour ;  they  then  reached  the  foot  of  a  stair- 
case, up  which  they  climbed.  This  flight  of  steps  led  to 
the  one  room  of  a  fisher's  hut. 

"  Here  we  are,"  said  Nagato,  gazing  about  him. 

The  room  was  deserted,  and  almost  empty ;  some  few 
blackened  nets  formed  a  sort  of  drapery  upon  the  walls  ; 
in  one  corner  a  light  boat  was  laid  on  its  side. 

"  It 's  not  beautiful  here,"  said  Loo,  with  a  scornful 
air. 

The  door  was  fastened  on  the  inside  with  an  iron  bar. 
Nagato  raised  it,  and  slid  the  panel  aside  in  its  groove. 

The  sun  had  set,  night  drew  rapidly  near ;  but  the  sky 
was  still  empurpled,  the  river  blood-red.  A  few  large 


154  THE   USURPER. 

boats  were  visible,  moored  near  the  bank ;  other  vessels 
were  coming  back  from  sea.  The  sailors  took  in  the  sails 
of  woven  reeds ;  the  sound  of  the  ring  as  it  slipped  down 
the  mast  was  heard  distinctly.  A  few  fishermen  climb- 
ing the  steep  steps  from  the  water,  and  dragging  their 
dripping  nets,  returned  slowly  to  their  homes. 

Already  the  big  rectangular  lanterns  were  lighted  be- 
fore the  tea-shops ;  a  joyous  clamor  began  to  rise  from 
their  gardens  and  open  halls. 

The  Priuce;  followed  by  Loo,  turned  towards  the  largest 
of  these  establishments ;  but  to  his  great  surprise,  when 
he  entered  the  balcony,  already  crowded  with  people,  he 
was  greeted  with  enthusiastic  shouts. 

"  It  is  my  worthy  Sado  who  wins  me  this  popularity," 
he  thought. 

"  His  highness  !  his  highness  ! "  was  the  cry. 

"  Bring  saki !  open  fresh  casks !  The  Daimio  wants 
every  man  to  get  drunk  ! " 

"  We  will !  we  will !  So  drunk  that  we  can't  tell  the 
moon  from  the  sun." 

"  But  we  want  plenty  of  saki,  —  plenty,  plenty  !  Then 
we  can  sing  the  ancient  song  of  '  Dainogon-Ootomo." 

They  shouted  this  song  in  chorus  :  — 

"Is  there  aught  on  earth  more  precious  than  saki  ? 
If  I  were  not  a  man,  I  would  fain  be  a  tun." 

Upon  this  a  sailor,  naked  to  the  waist,  with  a  broad, 
unprepossessing  face,  approached  the  Prince. 

"  We  will  drink  by  and  by,"  said  he.  "  The  last  time 
we  met,  you  cut  my  cheek  open  with  your  fist.  I  'd  like 
to  break -a  rib  or  two  for  you;  after  that  we  shall  be 
friends." 

"  Do  you  know  whom  you  're  talking  to  1 "  cried  Loo 
indignantly,  rushing  upon  the  man  of  the  people. 

The  latter  pushed  him  off;  but  the  child  seized  his  arm, 


THE    USURPER.  155 

and  bit  it  till  the  blood  came.      The  sailor  yelled  with 
pain. 

"  The  fellow  's  a  regular  wolf !  "  he  shrieked. 

And  he  fell  upon  Loo  with  clenched  fists ;  but  the  Prince 
grasped  him  by  the  wrists.  '  . 

" Let  that  child  alone,"  said  he ;  "I  will  fight  you  if 
you  like.  What  is  your  name  1 " 

"  Don't  you  know  ] " 

"  I've  forgotten." 

"  A  prince  may  easily  forget  a  common  sailor's  name,"  • 
was  the  shout  from  all  sides.    "  His  name  is  Eaiden,  like 
the  God  of  Storms." 

"  Very  well,  Raiden,"  said  Nagato;  "let  us  fight  since 
you  bear  me  a  grudge." 

"  First  set  me  free,"  said  Raiden,  who  struggled  in  vain 
to  release  himself. 

The  Prince  loosed  his  hold.  The  sailor,  clenching  his 
fists,  glared  at  his  opponent  for  one  moment,  then  sprang 
upon  him ;  but  Nagato,  by  a  single  sudden  and  violent 
motion,  sent  him  rolling  on  the  floor,  amidst  a  great  crash 
of  broken  china,  among  the  cups  and  bottles  ranged  upon 
the  ground.  All  the  spectators  burst  out  laughing. 

"Now  you're  satisfied,"  they  said.  "You  have  done 
more  than  a  kobang's  worth  of  damage ;  if  the  Prince 
does  n't  pay,  you  '11  have  to  sell  a  good  many  fish  to  settle 
the  bill." 

"  I  will  pay,"  said  the  Prince.  "  But  speak,  Raiden,  do 
you  wish  to  continue  the  fight  1 " 

"  No,  I  thank  you,"  said  Raiden ;  "  I  fell  into  some 
boiling  tea,  and  I  shall  have  to  smart  for  it.  Besides,  you 
are  stronger  than  ever  to-night ;  I  should  get  whipped." 

"  The  saki !  the  saki !  if  the  quarrel  is  over,"  said  the 
spectators.  "  Speak,  Prince  !  In  what  fashion  will  you 
amuse  us  to-night?" 


156  THE   USURPER. 

"  First  let  us  drink,"  said  the  Prince.  "  This  is  scarcely 
a  time  for  rejoicing.  Sad  news  are  spread  through  the 
castle ;  all  hearts  are  uneasy,  for  civil  war  is  at  hand. 
The  pranks  which  we  have  played  are  out  of  season  now, 
—  like  the  flowers  and  leaves  when  the  first  gales  of 
winter  blow." 

Saki  was  brought.  Utter  silence  ensued ;  all  eyes  were 
fixed  on  the  Prince. 

"  I  have  come  to  talk  to  you,  who  have  been  my  com- 
panions in  pleasure,"  he  continued.  "  You  love  fighting, 
you  are  brave,  you  are  strong ;  will  you  be  my  comrades 
still,  and  fight  under  my  command,  against  the  enemies 
of  Fide-Yori  1 " 

"  To  be  sure  we  will !  "  cried  several  sailors. 

"  But  our  wives  and  children  ;  what  will  become  of 
them  1 " 

"  Who  will  feed  them  in  our  absence  1 " 

"  You  know  very  well  that  gold  flows  from  my  fingers 
like  water  from  a  fountain.  I  will  not  let  you  leave  your 
trade  and  risk  your  lives  without  paying  you  handsomely. 
How  much  does  a  fisherman  earn  in  a  day  1 " 

"  That  depends ;  on  bad  days,  when  the  sea  is  very 
rough,  we  don't  make  so  much  as  an  itzibou.  Good  hauls 
of  the  net  sometimes  bring  in  half  a  kobang." 

"  Well !  I  will  pay  you  half  a  kobang  a  day  while  the 
war  lasts." 

"  It 's  too  much  !  it 's  too  much  !  "  was  the  general 
shout;  "our  blood  is  not  worth  so  much." 

"  I  will  not  take  back  my  words,"  said  the  Prince. 

"  But  consider,"  cried  Raiden :  "  there  are  a  great  many 
of  us  ;  if  you  engage  us  all  at  that  price,  the  sum  total 
will  be  considerable." 

"  I  can  count,"  said  the  Prince,  smiling.  "  I  want  two 
hundred  men  :  that  makes  one  hundred  kobangs  a  day, 


THE   USURPER,  157 

three  thousand  kobangs  a  month,  thirty-six  thousand  a 
year." 

Raiden  opened  his  eyes  wide. 

"  Where  will  you  get  so  much  money  1 " 

"  You  have  no  idea  of  the  wealth  of  princes,"  said 
Nagato,  astonished  at  this  strange  discussion.  "  I  shall 
scarcely  notice  the  outlay  ;  so  have  no  scruples." 

"  Good  !  good !  If  that  is  so,  we  accept,"  exclaimed 
the  sailors. 

"  For  that  price  you  can  have  us  cut  into  fifty  pieces," 
said  Raiden,  who  had  not  yet  recovered  from  his  surprise. 

"  You  will  run  great  dangers,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  you 
must  be  bold  and  loyal." 

"  He  who  fights  the  sea  has  no  fear  of  men,"  said  a 
sailor;  "we  are  "accustomed  to  danger." 

"  Listen  ! "  said  Nagato  :  "  you  will  choose  among  your 
boats  fifty  of  the  best  and  strongest ;  you  will  make  no 
change  in  their  peaceful  aspect ;  you  need  not  remove 
your  fishing-tackle ;  but  hold  them  ready  to  put  to  sea  at 
the  first  signal." 

"Agreed  !  "  said  Raiden. 

"  I  will  provide  you  with  arms,"  continued  the  Prince, 
"  but  you  will  carefully  conceal  them  ;  you  must  look  like 
fishermen,  and  not  like  soldiers." 

"  Very  good ;  we  understand  !"  cried  Raiden,  as,  stand- 
ing with  his  arms  folded,  he  listened  attentively  to  the 
Prince. 

"  I  have  no  further  orders  to  give  you  for  the  present," 
said  Nagato ;  "  only  keep  our  bargain  secret." 

"  We  will  not  tell  it  even  to  the  gulls  that  fly  over  the 
sea." 

The  Prince  opened  his  belt,  and  threw  a  piece  of  gold 
on  the  ground. 

"  Our  engagement  begins  from  to-day  for  those  who  are 


158  THE   USURPER. 

here  present,"  said  he,  "  and  I  will  count  out  a  hundred 
kobangs  to  each  one.  You  will  choose  among  your  mates 
the  number  of  men  needed  to  make  up  my  little  army. 
Engage  the  bravest  and  most  discreet." 

"  Sailors  are  not  chatterboxes,"  said  Raiden,  "  particu- 
larly fishermen;  noise  frightens  the  fish.  Come,  Loo," 
said  he ;  "  the  Prince  is  ready  to  count  out  the  money." 

Loo  approached,  and  began  to  arrange  the  little  plates 
of  gold  in  piles.  Each  man  came  forward  in  his  turn  and 
gave  his  name,  which  Nagato  wrote  upon  a  long  strip  of 
paper.  The  Prince  looked  with  pleasure  on  the  frank  and 
daring  faces  of  these  men,  who  had  sold  him  their  lives. 
He  thought  that  seldom  at  court  had  he  met  the  loyal 
look  which  shone  here  in  every  eye.  The  majority  of 
these  men  were  bare-chested,  revealing  their  vigorous 
muscles.  They  laughed  with  pleasure  as  they  took  their 
money. 

Soon  the  Prince  left  the  tea-house,  and  ascended  the 
banks  of  the  river.  For  a  long  distance  he  could  hear  the 
laughter  and  the  voices  of  the  sailors,  who,  as  they  drank 
their  saki,  sang  loudly  the  song  of  Dainogon-Ootomo. 
Loo,  who  heard  it  for  the  first  time,  tried  to  recall  it,  and 
hummed  it  as  he  marched  behind  the  Prince  : 

"If  I  were  not  a  man,  I  would  fain  be  a  tun." 


THE    USURPER.  159 


CHAPTEE  XVII. 

DRAGON-FLY  ISLAND. 

rpHE  beautiful  Yodigimi  wept.  She  stood  leaning 
•*•>  against  a  black  lacquer  panel,  one  arm  raised  with 
a  gesture  of  grief,  her  fingers  pressed  lightly  against  the 
smooth,  shining  wall,  her  head  thrown  back,  and  some- 
what inclined  towards  her  shoulder.  She  wept,  without 
forgetting  to  be  beaxitiful. 

Yodogimi  was  nearly  forty  years  old.  Who  would  have 
thought  it  from  her  charming  face  and  form  1  Her  large 
eyes  were  still  brilliant,  her  lips  fresh,  her  complexion 
clear;  and  the  single  rope-like  twist  of  her  hair,  when 
released  from  its  pins,  rolled  to  the  floor  like  a  dark  ser- 
pent. The  Princess,  as  was  her  habit,  was  magnificently 
arrayed;  a  costly  girdle  clasped  her  slender  waist,  and  the 
embroideries  of  her  robe  were  of  marvellous  workmanship. 
A  few  steps  away  from  her  stood  General  Harounaga,  her 
lover,  in  full  armor,  his  gold-thonged  whip  in  his  hand. 
He  stared  at  the  floor  and  struggled  to  force  a  tear,  but 
could  not.  From  time  to  time  he  heaved  a  deep  sigh. 

"  Alas,  alas  ! "  exclaimed  Yodogimi,  "  you  will  go,  you 
will  forget  me  ;  perhaps  die  !  " 

"  I  may  die,"  said  the  General,  "  but  I  can  never  forget 
you." 

'  "  Die  !  Have  you  no  heart,  that  you  can  talk  to  me  of 
death  ?  Men  are  cruel ;  they  swear  devotion,  and  then, 
for  a  mere  nothing,  they  forsake  us/' 


160  THE   USURPER. 

"  It  is  not  my  fault.  War  has  broken  out ;  I  must 
start  for  Yamashiro  with  my  men." 

"  And  if  I  command  you  to  stay  1 " 

"  I  must  disobey,  Princess." 

"  You  confess  it  unblushingly  !  Well,  I  forbid  you  to 
leave  me !  " 

"  So  be  it,"  said  the  General.  "  I  cannot  resist  your 
wishes;  but  this  very  evening  I  shall  commit  suicide." 

"Because  you  are  tired  of  my  society]" 

"  No ;  because  I  should  be  dishonored ;  and  no  one 
should  ever  outlive  dishonoi*." 

"Oh,  I  am  mad!"  said  TaikcvSama's  widow,  wiping 
her  eyes.  "  I  speak  like  a  child  ;  I  counsel  you  to  play  a 
coward's  part.  Go;  do  not  spare  your  blood.  If  you  die, 
I  too  will  die.  How  handsome  you  are  in  fighting  dress  !  " 
she  added,  looking  admiringly  at  him.  "  Is  it  for  the 
enemy's  eyes  that  you  adorn  yourself  thus  1 " 

"  It  is  the  custom,"  said  Harounaga  ;  ' '  besides,  the 
arrows  rebound  from  these  overlapping  plates  of  horn, 
and  no  blow  of  the  ssvord  can  pierce  them." 

"  Do  not  talk  so ;  I  seem  to  see  you  in  the  thick  of  the 
fight,"  cried  Yodogimi.  "  I  see  the  arrows  fly,  I  hear  the 
clash  of  steel.  What  will  become  of  me  during  these  long 
days  of  agony  and  alarm  1 " 

"  Yamashiro  is  not  far  from  Osaka,"  said  the  General ; 
"  I  will  send  you  frequent  news  from  the  camp." 

"  Yes,  promise  me  you  will.   Send  a  messenger  every  day." 

"  You  shall  hear  from  me  every  day.  Farewell,  most 
beautiful  of  princesses  !  " 

"Farewell,  bold  warrior!  May  Heaven  grant  us  a 
speedy  meeting  ! " 

Harounaga  withdrew ;  and  as  he  passed  across  the  palace 
courtyard,  Yodogimi  leaned  from  the  window  for  a  final 
glimpse  of  him. 


THE    USURPER.  161 

The  page  who  held  the  warrior's  horse  informed  the 
General,  as  he  helped  him  to  the  saddle,  that  most  alarm- 
ing reports  were  current  in  the  castle.  The  advance- 
guard  of  the  enemy  had  been  seen  at  Soumiossi ;  that  is, 
but  a  few  leagues  from  Osaka.  The  Shoguu's  troops  had, 
therefore,  failed  to  blockade  the  entire  breadth  of  the 
Island  of  Nipon,  as  was  their  purpose.  Harounaga 
hurriedly  rejoined  his  division,  which  was  waiting  for 
his  coming,  to  march  forth  from  the  castle  ramparts. 
Several  knights  galloped  to  meet  him.  The  Shogun  had 
just  reached  the  encampment,  and  was  inquiring  for 
Harounaga. 

"  Do  not  go  to  Yamasiro,"  he  shouted,  as  soon  as  he  saw 
him ;  "  proceed  to  Soumiossi,  and  try  to  crush  the  rebels, 
if  it  be  true  that  they  are  already  established  there." 

"  I  fly,  master,"  answered  Harounaga  ;  "  and  I  swear 
to  conquer." 

A  few  moments  later,  he  left  Osaka  with  his  army. 
At  the  same  hour  a  number  of  fishing-boats,  taking 
advantage  of  the  tide,  left  the  harbor,  and,  driven  by  a 
strong  breeze,  reached  the  open  sea.  It  was  Nagato's  fleet. 

The  Prince  was  one  of  the  first  to  learn  of  the  ap- 
pearance of  Hieyas'  soldiers  at  Soumiossi.  He  at  once 
decided  to  put  to  sea  and  cruise  about  the  regions  threat- 
ened. 

Each  boat  was  manned  by  four  sailors ;  that  in  which 
Nagato  sat  contained  one  more  person,  —  Loo;  the  latter 
had  caught  a  few  fish,  and  with  frank  cruelty  watched 
their  dying  struggles.  Raiden  was  at  the  helm. 

The  Prince,  lying  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  gazed 
vaguely  up  at  the  huge  brown  sail,  which  cracked  and 
swelled,  and  at  the  entangling  ropes  and  cordage  ;  he  was 
lost  in  revery.  The  same  dream  always  filled  his  soul ; 
it  was  like  the  sea,  which  reflects  the  sky  forever.  Every 
11 


162  THE    USURPER. 

incident,  every  action  disturbed  the  Prince  painfully, 
made  him  melancholy  ;  they  were  so  many  clouds  veil- 
ing his  love,  preventing  him  from  utter  absorption  in  it. 
And  yet  his  noble  disposition  impelled  him  to  devote 
himself  to  the  service  of  his  sovereign,  to  shed  his  blood 
for  him,  —  save  him, — if  it  were  possible;  but  despite 
himself,  he  often  forgot  the  war,  Hieyas,  intrigue,  and 
crime,  —  as,  when  silence  is  restored,  one  forgets  the  noise 
that  broke  it  for  a  time.  He  then  invoked  in  fancy,  a  look 
bent  upon  him,  a  sweet  voice,  a  corner  of  a  veil  raised  by 
the  wind  and  brushing  his  lips ;  he  recalled  the  sudden 
thrill  which  that  light  touch  sent  throbbing  through  his 
veins.  Sometimes  he  thought  that  perhaps  she  too  was 
dreaming  of  him,  and  he  followed  the  errant  fancy  into 
space. 

The  waves  rocked  him  gently,  and  encouraged  him  in 
these  idle  dreams ;  the  wind  blew,  the  swelling  sail  looked 
like  an  immense  crescent ;  the  water,  driven  rapidly  back, 
splashed  up  at  the  bow. 

"  It  is  that  I  may  not  be  parted  from  her,"  he  mur- 
mured, "  that  I  engage  in  this  strange  adventure.  I 
reckon  on  chance  to  furnish  me  with  occasions  to  serve 
my  Prince  ;  for  if  I  were  asked  to  explain  my  plan  for  the 
campaign,  I  should  be  vastly  puzzled.  My  only  purpose 
is  to  bear  down  upon  the  most  perilous  points,  fight  with 
fury,  and  then  sail  away  without  making  myself  known. 
But  in  General  Yoke-Moura's  opinion  a  small  body  of  in- 
dependent troops,  coming  up  in  the  midst  of  a  battle, 
sometimes  tip  the  scales  of  victory,  and  do  great  ser- 
vice. ...  I  remember  this  very  opportunely,  to  justify 
my  conduct,"  added  the  Prince,  smiling. 

The  fifty  boats  composing  the  flotilla  were  scattered 
broadcast  over  the  sea.  Loo  said  that  they  looked  like  a 
swarm  of  butterflies  on  the  point  of  drowning. 


THE   USURPER.  163 

Towards  noonday  they  drew  near  the  shore.  Sou- 
miossi  was  close  at  hand,  and  Nagato  desired  to  land,  that 
he  might,  if  possible,  collect  fresh  information  in  regard 
to  the  hostile  army. 

A  small  cove  sheltered  the  vessels,  which  neared  shore  ; 
the  greater  part  remained  in  the  offing,  only  twenty  men 
accompanying  the  Prince,  who  took  a  road  a  hundred 
paces  from  the  beach  and  apparently  leading  to  a  village. 
They  walked  on  for  some  time  ;  but  all  at  once  the  fore- 
most men,  who  had  turned  the  corner,  came  running 
back. 

"  A  Daimio  !  a  Daimio  !  "  they  shouted. 

"  Well,  what  is  that  to  us  1 "  said  Nagato. 

"  If  we  block  up  the  road,  they  will  walk  directly  over 
us,  or  else  chop  off  our  heads,"  said  Raiden. 

"  Go,  Loo,"  said  the  Prince,  "  and  see  what  name  is 
written  on  the  post  at  the  roadside.  If  the  lord  whose 
coming  it  announces  be  less  noble  than  I,  we  will  throw 
the  post  to  the  ground ;  and  although  I  have 'no  train  of 
followers,  the  Prince  shall  make  room  for  me." 

Loo,  having  looked  about  for  an  instant,  ran  up  to  one 
of  the  posts  which  noblemen  erect  on  roads  by  which 
they  mean  to  travel,  announcing  the  day  on. which  they 
shall  pass  by. 

The  child  soon  returned  with  a  look  of  utter  amaze- 
ment. 

"  It  is  you,  master,  who  are  to  pass  this  way  ! "  said  he. 

"  What  1 "  said  the  Prince. 

"  It's  written  on  the  board,"  said  Loo  :  "  '  The  all-pow- 
erful Iwakura-Teroumoto-Mori,  Prince  of  Nagato,  will 
traverse  this  region  on  the  tenth  day  of  the  fifth  moon.' " 

"  Silence,  Loo ! "  said  the  Prince  ;  "  let  nothing  sur- 
prise you,  and  be  discreet  .  .  .  Sado  must  be  on  his  way 
to  my  dominions,"  he  added  aside  to  himself. 


164  THE   USURPER. 

Already,  in  a  light  cloud  of  dust,  the  out-runners  of 
the  procession  turned  the  corner  of  the  road.  Then  came 
lackeys,  scribes,  and  cooks,  bearing  all  sorts  of  utensils. 

The  sailors  knelt  by  the  roadside  ;  the  Prince  hid  be- 
hind a  hedge  of  wild  roses. 

The  first  group  passed,  followed  by  some  twenty  horses 
loaded  with  chests,  boxes,  and  bundles  wrapped  in  red 
leather;  then  by  a  large  number  of  men  carrying  pikes, 
banners,  swords,  bows,  quivers,  and  umbrellas. 

A  crowd  of  servants  came  next ;  each  man  bore  on  his 
shoulder  a  highly  varnished  box,  which  held  the  clothes 
and  other  personal  property  of  the  Prince. 

Then  appeared  in  succession,  officers  wearing  magnifi- 
cent weapons  and  princely  lances,  adorned  with  cock's 
plumes  and  leathern  thongs,  —  grooms  led  along  richly 
caparisoned  horses ;  a  Samurai,  followed  by  two  lackeys, 
holding  at  arm's  length  the  hat  with  which,  when  he  sets 
foot  on  the  ground,  the  Prince  protects  himself  from  the 
sun ;  another  lord  carrying  a  parasol  in  a  black  velvet 
case  ;  behind  them  the  servants  and  baggage  of  these 
nobles  marched  in  silence. 

Then  came  twenty-eight  pages  wearing  round  hats, 
preceding  the  litter  of  the  Prince.  These  pages  moved 
in  a  peculiar  way  ;  at.  each  step  they  kicked  back  with 
one  foot,  lifting  it  as  high  as  possible,  and  at  the  same 
time  thrust  one  hand  forward,  as  if  to  swim. 

Finally,  the  norimono  of  the  lord  approached,  borne  by 
eight  men,  who  advanced  slowly,  taking  short  steps,  car- 
rying on  the  palm  of  one  hand  the  single  shaft,  passing 
over  the  palanquin  like  a  bent  bow,  the  other  outstretched 
hand  seeming  to  impose  silence  and  express  respectful 
awe. 

Upon  the  black  lacquer,  dotted  with  gilded  nails,  which 
covered  the  sides  of  the  norimono,  were  the  armorial  bear- 


THE   USURPER.  165 

ings  of  the  ruler  of  Nagato,  —  three  balls  surmounted 
by  a  bolt.  The  inside  of  this  great  box  was  hung 
with  gay-colored  silk  stuffs,  and  upon  a  mattress  covered 
with  a  velvet  carpet  the  Prince  reclined  and  thumbed  a 
book. 

The  norimono  passed,  and  the  procession  ended  with  a 
throng  of  grooms,  pages,  and  banner-bearers,  who  marched 
in  perfect  order  and  the  most  profound  silence. 

"Really,"  said  Raiden,  rising,  and  brushing  the  dust 
from  his  knees,  "  all  that  is  very  fine ;  but  I  'd  rather  be  a 
sailor,  and  walk  freely  about,  without  all  that  cumbersome 
train." 

"  Be  quiet,"  said  another  man  j  "  you  '11  vex  the 
Prince." 

"  I  've  no  doubt  he  agrees  with  me,"  said  Raiden ; 
"  since,  being  a  prince,  he  turned  sailor." 

They  now  reached  the  nearest  village ;  and  before  they 
had  time  to  ask  a  question,  were  fully  informed  in  regard 
to  all  they  wished  to  know.  Several  neighboring  towns 
had  emigrated  to  this  one.  The  streets  were  choked  with 
people,  carts,  and  animals.  A  tremendous  hubbub  arose 
from  the  mob  of  men  and  beasts.  The  buffaloes  bellowed 
in  affright,  and  crushed  one  another ;  the  pigs,  who  were 
trodden  upon,  uttered  shrill  squeals ;  the  women  groaned, 
the  children  cried ;  and  the  story  of  recent  events  passed 
from  mouth  to  mouth. 

"  They  've  taken  Dragon-fly  Island." 

"  Opposite  Soumiossi,  you  can  see  them  from  the 
shore.  The  inhabitants  of  the  island  had  no  time  to 
escape." 

"  They  came  in  three  war-junks,  —  three  fine  junks 
gilded  in  spots,  with  very  tall  masts,  and  flags  stream- 
ing in  every  direction." 

"Are  they  the  Mongols?"  asked  certain  old  men,  who 


166  THE   USURPER. 

had  a  confused  remembrance  of  ancient  wars  and  foreign 
invasions. 

"No;  it  is  the  Regent,  who  wants  to  have  the  Shogun 
killed." 

"  How  many  soldiers  landed  on  the  island  1 "  asked  Rai- 
den,  who  had  slipped  in  among  the  crowd. 

"  Nobody  knows ;  but  there  were  a  great  many  ;  the 
junks  were  full  of  them." 

"  About  fifteen  hundred  men,"  thought  Raiden. 

"  It 's  the  advance-guard  of  Hieyas'  army,"  said  the 
Prince  of  Nagato  in  a  low  voice.  "  If  Fide-Yori's  troops 
do  not  arrive  promptly,  Osaka  is  in  the  utmost  danger. 
Let  us  put  to  sea  again,"  he  continued  ;  "  I  have  a  plan, 
which,  although  desperate,  may  succeed." 

Before  leaving  the  village,  Nagato  ordered  Raiden  to 
buy  a  quantity  of  carpenter's  tools.  Then  they  went  back 
to  the  shore  and  re-embarked. 

Towards  evening  the  little  fleet  hove  in  sight  of  Soumi- 
ossi,  and  found  shelter  behind  a  promontory  which  com- 
pletely hid  it.  The  place  was  most  beautiful ;  enormous 
trees,  whose  naked  roots  clung  like  the  claws  of  some  bird 
of  prey  to  rocks  and  earth,  overhung  the  sea ;  bushes 
and  shrubs  swung  above  them  tufts  of  gorgeous  bloom ; 
the  waves  were  strewn  with  fallen  petals,  which  floated 
about,  collected  in  small  islets  or  long  wreaths.  The 
waves,  dashing  against  sharp  rocks,  cast  up  white  foam ; 
gulls  fluttered  about,  like  the  froth  of  the  sea  turned 
into  birds.  The  water  was  of  a  uniform  tint  of  satiny 
blue,  shot  with  silver,  and  the  sky  still  shimmered  in 
liquid  gold,  reflected  from  the  setting  sun.  In  the  dis- 
tance lay  Dragon-fly  Island,  green  and  fresh,  with  its 
strange  insect-like  outlines ;  the  coast  of  Soumiossi,  one 
ruddy  glow,  displayed  its  jagged  cliffs ;  and  at  the  ex- 
treme point  of  the  promontory  a  tiny  pagoda  reared  its 


THE   USURPER.  167 

peaked  roof,  tiled  with  porcelain,  all  the  angles  apparently 
raised  by  the  four  chains  which  bound  them  to  a  golden 
arrow. 

The  Prince  thought  of  another  sunset,  —  that  which  he 
had  witnessed  from  the  mountain  top  near  Kioto,  with  the 
Queen  at  his  side.  He  closed  his  eyes,  and  saw  her  before 
him,  so  beautiful,  so  noble  in  the  mute  avowal  of  her  grief, 
her  lashes  glittering  with  tears,  turning  upon  him  her  pure 
gaze,  and  commanding  him  to  marry  her  rival.  The  least 
details  of  her  speech,  her  gesture,  the  little  mirror  upon 
her  brow  flashing  like  a  star,  were  graven  upon  his  mem- 
ory with  amazing  distinctness. 

"  That  was  a  sad  moment,"  he  thought ;  "  and  yet,  as  I 
recall  it,  it  seems  to  have  been  full  of  fascination.  At 
least  she  was  there,  —  I  saw  her,  I  heard  her ;  the  sound  of 
her  voice  was  like  balm,  to  heal  the  cruelty  of  her  words. 
But  now,  what  agony  to  live  !  Time  seems  like  a  bound- 
less sea,  where  no  rock  or  mast  permits  the  exhausted 
bird  an  instant's  rest !  " 

Three  very  light  canoes  were  now  launched,  scarcely 
visible  above  the  water.  As  soon  as  night  fell,  Kagato 
chose  eight  men  from  the  most  adventurous  of  his  crew, 
together  with  Raiden  and  another  sailor  named  Nata. 
They  got  into  the  canoes,  three  men  in  each. 

"  If  you  hear  shots,  come  to  our  rescue,"  said  the 
Prince  of  Nagato  to  those  who  were  left  behind.  And 
the  three  boats  moved  noiselessly  off. 

Those  who  manned  them  were  armed  with  swords  and 
daggers ;  moreover,  they  took  with  them  the  tools  bought 
in  the  village,  and  several  matchlock  guns.  These  weap- 
ons —  a  foreign  invention,  often  damaged  or  imperfect  — 
generally  refused  to  go  off.  or  else  exploded  in  the  hands 
of  their  owners.  They  were  accordingly  equally  dreaded 
by  those  who  used  them  and  those  against  whom  they  were 


168  THE   USURPER. . 

directed.  The  Prince  had  contrived  to  get  fifty  new  and 
well-made  guns,  which  was  a  large  supply  for  his  little 
army;  still,  the  sailors  regarded  the  strange  machines 
with  a  certain  distrust. 

The  boats  glided  along  in  the  shadow,  steering  straight 
for  Dragon-fly  Island.  The  noise  of  the  oars,  handled 
cautiously,  mingled  with  the  myriad  dull-  sounds  of  the 
sea.  A  light  breeze  rose,  and  whistled  in  their  ears. 

As  they  approached  the  island  they  tried  to  move  more 
and  more  silently.  Already  they  could  see  fires  among 
the  trees.  They  were  not  far  from  shore,  for  they  could 
distinctly  hear  the  measured  tread  of  a  patrol  upon  the 
bank. 

The  Prince  ordered  his  men  to  row-  round  the  island 
in  search  of  the  war-junks.  They  lay  at  anchor  close  to 
the  shore,  having  Dragon-fly  Island  between  them  and 
the  Soumiossi  coast.  They  were  soon  visible  to  the  men 
in  the  canoes,  their  vast  hulls  and  lofty  masts  outlined  in 
black  upon  the  less  intense  darkness  of  the  sky ;  lying 
almost  on  a  level  with  the  water  as  they  were,  the  junks 
seemed  enormous  to  them.  Upon  each  one,  a  lantern 
burned  at  the  foot  of  the  mast,  hidden  from  tjme  to 
time  by  the  sentinel  as  he  paced  up  and  down  the 
deck. 

"  Those  sentinels  will  see  us,"  said  Raiden,  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  No,"  replied  the  Prince ;  "  the  lantern  lights  up  the 
spot -where  they  are,  and  prevents  them  from  distin- 
guishing anything  in  the  darkness  where  \*e  are.  Let 
us  now  approach ;  and  may  our  mad  enterprise  tend  to 
our  glory  !  " 

The  three  boats  moved  off  one  after  the  other,  and  each 
one  came  alongside  one  of  the  ships  without  making  more 
noise  than  a  gull  as  it  dips  into  the  wave.  The  canoe 


THE    USURPER.  169 

which  contained  the  Prince  had  approached  the  largest 
of  the  junks.  It  lay  between  the  other  two.  The  shadow 
was  thicker  than  ever  beneath  the  bulging  sides  of  the 
vessel.  The  black  water  splashed,  and  dashed  the  little 
boat  against  the  giant  hull ;  but  the  noise  was  lost  in  the 
incessant  shock  of  the  water  and  the  continual  fall  of 
one  wave  after  another  upon  the  shores  of  the  island. 

"  Let  us  stay  here,"  said  the  Prince,  in  a  scarcely  au- 
dible voice.  "  Even  if  they  looked  from  the  deck,  they 
would  never  see  us  here." 

"  True,"  said  Raiden,  "  but  we  could  not  work  here  ; 
the  boat  is  not  steady  enough.  If  we  could  reach  the 
prow  of  the  vessel,  we  should  be  better  off." 

"  So  be  it,"  said  the  Prince. 

All  three,  kneeling  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat,  pressed 
with  their  hands  against  the  junk,  and  thus  advanced 
rapidly.  Sometimes  an  involuntary  collision,  which 
seemed  to  them  to  make  a  terrible  noise,  made  them 
pause  ^  then  they  went  on  again.  They  reached  the 
ship's  p"row.  At  that  moment  the  sentinel  crjed  : 

"  Oho  ! " 

He  was  answered  from  the  other  junks  : 

"  Oho  J  " 

"Oho!" 

Then  all  was  silent  once  more. 

"  To  work,"  said  Nagato. 

Their  plan  was  merely  to  sink  these  great  ships  by 
making  a  hole  in  them  below  the  water-line,  large  eaough 
to  let  in  the^sea. 

"  What  rocks  and  reefs  can  do  with  the  greatest  ease, 
we  may  perhaps  achieve  by  taking  a  little  trouble,"  was 
the  Prince's  thought.  The  tools  which  had  been  used 
in  the  construction  of  the  ship's^  hull  might  now  be 
useful  in  destroying  a  fragment  of  it.  It  would  be  quite 


170  THE    USURPER. 

enough  to  make  an  opening  as  big  as  a  man's  hand,  or  to 
remove  a  plank.  The  water,  which  only  asks  to  be  let 
in  and  glide  everywhere,  would  be  quite  content  with 
that. 

Raiden,  leaning  from  the  canoe,  felt  the  slimy  sides  of 
the  ship,  and  searched  under  the  sticky  moss,  under  paint 
and  tar,  for  the  heads  of  the  nails  which  held  the  planks 
together.  The  Prince  and  the  sailor  Nata  tried  to  hold 
the  boat  as  nearly  stationary  as  might  be.  Raiden  took 
a  tool  from  his  belt,  and  with  great  exertion  dug  out  a 
few  nails. 

"  This  ship  is  well  built,"  said  he  ;  "  the  nails  are  as 
long  as  sword-blades  ;  besides,  they  are  rusty,  and  as  firm 
in  the  wood  as  big  teeth  in  a  young  jaw." 

"  Do  you  think  we  can  carry  out  our  plan  ? " 

"  I  certainly  hope  so,"  said  Raiden.  "  It  is  impossible 
that  a  nobleman  like  you  could  take  such  trouble  for 
nothing;  only  I  am  very  awkwardly  situated,  with  my 
head  down,  and  obliged  to  pull  out  the  nails  obliquely. 
I  must  get  into  the  water."  * 

"  Are  you  crazy  ?  "  said  Nata.  "  The  sea  is  very  deep 
here." 

"  There  must  be  a  rope  in  the  boat." 

"  Yes,"  said  Nata. 

"  Very  well ;  fasten  the  two  ends  to  the  seat." 

Nata  quickly  obeyed,  and  Raiden  passed  the  rope  under 
his  arms. 

"  In  this  way  I  shall  be  suspended  in  the  water," 
said  he ;  and  he  slid  silently  over  the  side  of  the  boat. 
For  more  than  an  hour  he  worked  in  the  darkness,  with- 
out uttering  a  single  word ;  and  as  his  hands  moved 
beneath  the  water,  he  made  no  noise.  Nothing  was  audi- 
ble save  the  monotonous  tread  of  the  sentinel  and  the 
dash  of  the  waves  against  the  ship. 


THE   USURPER.  171 

"  Pass  me  the  saki,"  said  Raiden  at  last ;  "  I  am 
cold." 

"  It  is  my  turn  to  work,"  said  Nata.  "  Get  into  the 
boat  again." 

"  It  is  done,"  said  Raiden.  "  I  have  taken  out  the  nails 
all  round  a  plank  as  long  as  our  boat,  and  as  broad  as 
Nata  is  from  shoulder  to  shoulder." 

"  Then  you  have  fully  succeeded/'  said  the  Prince. 

"  Not  yet ;  the  most  difficult  part  remains.  The  plank 
is  dovetailed  into  its  two  neighbors,  and  affords  no  hold 
by  which  I  can  pull  it  out." 

"  Try  to  slip  your  tool  into  the  crack." 

"  I  have  been  trying,  but  in  vain,"  said  Raiden ;  "  the 
plank  must  be  pushed  from  the  inside." 

"  That  cannot  be  done,"  said  Nagato. 

Raiden  raised  his  head ;  he  looked  at  the  ship's 
hull. 

"Is  there  not  a  port-hole  up  there  over  our  heads  1" 
he  asked. 

"  I  see  nothing,"  said  the  Prince. 

"You  are  not  accustomed,  as  we  are,  to  see  through 
the  darkness  on  stormy  nights,'  said  Nata;  "but  I  see 
the  port-hole  very  plainly." 

"  Some  one  must  get  in  there,  and  push  out  the 
plank,"  said  Raideu. 

"  You  are  crazy  ;  none  of  us  could  squeeze  through  that 
narrow  opening." 

"If  little  Loo  were  here,"  muttered  Raiden,  "he  would 
get  in  there  soon  enough,  he  would  !  " 

At  this  moment  the  Prince  felt  something  move  be- 
tween his  legs,  and  a  small  figure  rose  from  the  bottom 
of  the  boat. 

"  Loo  knew  that  he  would  be  wanted  ! "  it  cried. 

"  What !     Are  you  there  1 "  said  the  Prince. 


172  THE   USURPER. 

"Then  we  are  saved,"  said  Raiden. 

"  Quick  !  "  said  Loo ;  "  lift  me  up  to  the  window." 

"  Listen  !  "  said  Raiden,  in  a  low  voice.  "  As  soon  as  you 
get  in,  you  are  to  feel  along  the  wall,  and  count  five  planks 
down,  straight  under  the  opening.  The  sixth  you  will 
push ;  but  as  soon  as  you  feel  it  yield  to  your  hand,  you 
must  stop,  and  hurry  back.  If  you  push  it  entirely  out, 
the  water,  pouring  into  the  hold,  will  drown  you." 

"  All  right  !  "  said  the  boy. 

Nata  stood  leaning  his  back  against  the  junk. 

"  You  are  not  afraid,  Loo  1  "  said  the  Prince. 

Loo,  without  a  word,  shook  his  head.  He  was  already 
upon  Nata's  shoulders,  and  clinging  to  the  edge  of  the 
port-hole  with  both  hands.  Soon  he  thrust  in  his  head 
and  shoulders ;  then  his  legs  followed,  and  he  was  lost 
to  sight. 

"  It  must  be  even  darker  in  there  than  out  here,"  said 
Nata,  who  had  his  ear  close  to  the  ship's  side. 

They  waited.  The  time  seemed  to  them  long ;  their 
anxiety  made  them  motionless.  At  last  a  cracking  noise 
was  heard.  Raiden  felt  the  plank  move.  A  second  push 
made  it  start  from  its  place. 

"  Enough  !  enough  !  or  you  are  lost !  "  said  Raiden, 
not  daring  to  raise  his  voice. 

But  the  child  heard  nothing ;  he  continued  to  use  his 
clenched  fists  with  all  his  strength.  Soon  the  plank  fell, 
and  floated  off  upon  the  waves.  At  the  same  time,  with  a 
roar,  the  water  streamed  into  the  ship. 

"  And  the  child !  the  child ! "  cried  the  agonized 
Prince. 

Raiden  thrust  his  arms  despairingly  into  the  yawning 
hole,  black  and  tumultuous  as  it  was. 

"  Nothing  !  nothing  !  "  said  he,  grinding  his  teeth. 
"  He  has  been  carried  off  by  the  force  of  the  water." 


THE    USURPER.  173 

At  this  moment  cries  were  heard  from  one  of  the  neigh- 
boring junks.  Lights  flashed  hither  and  thither  on  the 
deck ;  they  seemed  in  the  darkness  to  move  through  the 
air  of  their  own  will. 

"  Our  friends  may  need  us,"  said  Nata. 

"  We  cannot  desert  that  poor  boy,"  said  the  Prince, 
"  while  there  is  a  hope  of  saving  him ;  we  will  not  stir 
from  the  spot." 

All  at  once  Raiden  uttered  a  shout  of  joy ;  he  felt  a 
small  cold  hand  upon  the  edge  of  the  hole  in  the  ship's 
side.  He  soon  drew  the  child  out,  and  dropped  him  into 
the  boat. 

Loo  did  not  stir;  he  had  fainted.  Raiden  climbed  has- 
tily into  the  boat,  dripping  wet  as  he  was. 

"  That  poor  fellow  is  about  done  for,"  said  Nata,  push- 
ing off  from  the  junk. 

"  Let  us  join  the  others,"  said  Nagato;  "perhaps  they 
have  not  finished  their  work." 

The  shouts  increased ;  the  alarm  was  given  on  every 
hand.  Lights  were  seen  moving  about  on  the  shores  of 
the  island,  and  the  sound  of  arms  snatched  up  in  haste 
was  heard. 

"  We  sink !  we  sink ! "  cried  the  crew  of  the 
junks. 

Sevei*al  men  sprang  into  the  sea,  and  swam,  puffing  and 
blowing,  towards  land.  Terror  had  reached  its  height 
among  the  troops.  The  junks  sank  rapidly ;  the  water 
bubbled  and  boiled  as  it  poured  into  their  holds.  The 
enemy  was  at  hand,  and  yet  invisible.  The  more  lights 
were  brought,  the  blacker  seemed  the  sea. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  leaned  from  the  canoe,  and 
vainly  strove  to  pierce  the  gloom  with  his  eye.  Suddenly 
a  violent  shock  made  his  boat  start  and  quiver,  dancing 
about  in  strange  fashion  for  some  moments. 


174  THE   USURPER. 

"We  can  see  no  more  than  you,"  said  a  voice  ;  "excuse 
us,  Prince,  for  giving  you  such  a  knock." 

"  Oh,  it 's  you  !  "  said  Nagato ;  "  did  you  succeed  ? " 

"  We  should  be  at  work  still,  if  our  task  were  not  accom- 
plished. We  have  gnawed  through  the  wood  like  an  army 
of  rats,  and  made  a  big  hole  in  the  junk." 

"Good,  good  !"  said  the  Prince;  "you  are  indeed  val- 
uable assistants." 

"  Let  us  sheer  off,"  said  Raiden ;  "  they  have  long-boats 
still ;  they  may  pursue  us." 

"  And  our  comrades  1 " 

"  They  '11  take  care  of  themselves ;  be  sure  of  that. 
Perhaps  they  have  escaped  already." 

The  soldiers  fired  a  few  arrows  at  hap-hazard,  which 
fell  like  rain  in  the  water  around  the  canoes. 

"  They  are  so  awkward  that  they  might  hit  us  without 
meaning  to  do  so  !  "  said  Nata,  laughingly. 

"  Sheer  off !  "  shouted  Eaiden,  rowing  vigorously. 

The  darkness  now  began  to  grow  less  profound  ;  a  pale 
gleam  spread  across  the  sky  like  a  drop  of  milk  in  a  glass 
of  water.  On  the  edge  of  the  horizon  the  light  grew 
stronger,  though  still  vague  and  faint.  It  was  the  dawn 
of  the  rising  full  moon.  Soon,  like  the  point  of  a  sword- 
blade  upon  the  horizon,  the  planet  shed  a  steel-like  lustre. 
At  once  a  trail  alternately  dark  and  light  ran  along  the 
sea  to  the  shore ;  bluish  sparks  crackled  and  glittered  on 
the  crest  of  the  waves ;  then  the  moon  appeared  like  the_ 
arch  of  a  bridge,  and  at  last  rose  wholly  into  sight,  like  a 
metal  mirror. 

They  were  now  out  of  reach  of  the  soldiers.  Nata  took 
the  oars ;  Raiden  rubbed  Loo's  temples  with  saki  as  he 
lay  across  the  Prince's  knees. 

"  At  least  he  is  not  dead,  poor  child ! "  said  Nagato, 
putting  his  hand  on  Loo's  heart. 


THE    USURPER.  175 

"  No.  See,  his  little  chest  heaves  slowly ;  he  breathes ; 
but  he  is  frozen.  We  must  strip  off  his  wet  clothes." 

They  undressed  him ;  Nata  took  off  his  outer  garment 
and  wrapped  the  boy  in  it. 

"That  brat  don't  know  what  fear  is,"  said  Raiden. 
"  Don't  you  remember,  Prince,  how  he  bit  me  when  I 
wanted  to  fight  you  1  I  have  but  one  wish  now ;  that  is, 
that  he  might  bite  me  again." 

The  sailor  tried  to  separate  Loo's  locked  teeth,  and 
poured  a  quantity  of  saki  down  his  throat.  The  boy 
swallowed  it  the  wrong  way,  sneezed,  coughed ;  then 
opened  his  eyes. 

"  What !  then  I  am  not  dead]"  he  asked,  gazing  about 
him. 

"  Well,  it  seems  not,"  cried  the  delighted  Raiden. 
"Will  you  drink]" 

"  Oh,  no  ! "  said  Loo,  "I  've  had  quite  enough  to  drink. 
Salt  water  is  very  nasty  ;  I  never  tasted  it  before.  I  shall 
have  to  eat  a  great  many  banana  preserves  before  I  can 
get  rid  of  the  taste." 

"  Are  you  in  pain  ] "  said  the  Prince. 

"  No,"  said  Loo ;  "  but  tell  me  if  the  junk  has  sunk." 

"  Nothing  but  the  tip  of  her  mast  can  be  seen  by  this 
time,"  said  Nata.  "  The  success  of  our  enterprise  is 
largely  due  to  you." 

"  You  see,  master,  that  I  am  of  some  use,"  said  Loo, 
with  great  pride. 

"  To  be  sure ;  and  you  are  as  brave  as  the  bravest  man," 
said  the  Prince.  "  But  how  did  you  get  here  ? " 

"Ah  !  that's  just  it  !  I  saw  that  you  were  determined 
to  leave  me  behind,  so  I  hid  under  the  bench." 

"  But  tell  me,"  cried  Raiden,  "  why  you  pushed  the 
plank  so  hard,  in  spite  of  all  my  warnings  1 " 

"  I  wanted  to  make  sure  that  the  junk  did  not  escape ; 


176  THE    USURPER. 

and  then  I  heard  a  noise  in  the  ship.  I  had  to  make 
haste.  Besides,  I  don't  think  I  could  have  climbed  back 
again  at  any  rate.  There  were  all  sorts  of  beams  and 
ropes,  and  chains  that  tripped  me  up ;  for  I  couldn't  see 
any  more  than  if  I  'd  had  my  head  in  a  black  velvet  bag." 

"  And  when  that  mass  of  water  fell  upon  you,  what 
did  you  think  1 " 

"  I  thought  that  I  was  killed,  but  that  the  junk  would 
surely  sink.  I  heard  the  thuuder  roar,  and  I  swallowed 
gallons.  The  water  ran  in  at  ray  nose,  my  mouth,  and 
my  ears ;  and  then  I  knew  no  more,  felt  no  more  ! " 

"  You  were  very  near  death,  my  poor  Loo,"  said  the 
Prince  ;  "  but  for  your  fine  conduct  I  will  give  you  a 
handsome  sword,  well  sharpened,  and  you  can  wear  it  in 
your  sash  like  a  lord." 

Loo  cast  a  look  full  of  pride  at  his  companions,  whose 
faces  were  lighted  up  by  the  moon,  and  smiled  broadly, 
showing  two  deep  dimples.  A  misty  blue  light  shone 
across  the  sea,  so  that  they  could  see  off  for  some  distance. 

"  Two  junks  have  disappeared,"  said  Nagato,  gazing  in 
the  direction  of  the  island ;  "the  third  is  still  afloat." 

"  I  think  I  see  boats  hovering  about  her ;  do  you  think 
our  friends  can  have  been  taken  Vy  surprise  1 " 

All  at  once  the  junk  keeled  over  on  one  side ;  and  in: 
stantly  a  small  boat  was  shoved  off,  and  moved  rapidly 
away.  The  ship's  boats,  full  of  soldiers,  chased  her,  send- 
ing a  thick  flight  of  arrows  after  her.  Several  shots  were 
fired  from  the  junk. 

"  Let  us  hasten  to  their  aid  ! "  exclaimed  the  Prince. 

Raideu  had  already  changed  the  course  of  the  canoe; 
the  other  boat,  which  accompanied'them,  followed  along- 
side. 

"  They  will  never  let  themselves  be  taken,"  said 
Raideu,  who  kept  turning  his  head  to  look,  as  he  rowed. 


THE    USURPER.  177 

In  fact,  the  light  canoe  flew  over  the  waves,  while  the 
heavier  long-boats,  loaded  down  with  men,  moved  very 
slowly. 

"  The  junk  is  sinking  !  the  junk  is  sinking  !  "  shouted 
Loo,  clapping  his  hands. 

In  truth  the  last  vessel  remaining  above  the  surface 
sank  slowly ;  then  with  one  impulse  disappeared. 

"  Victory !  Victory !  "  cried  the  sailors  and  the 
Prince. 

"  Victory  ! "  was  the  answering  cry  from  the  hotly 
pursued  canoe,  which  came  nearer  and  nearer. 

The  three  boats  were  soon  side  by  side. 

"  Let  them  chase  us,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  and  do  not 
move  too  quickly  to  deprive  them  of  all  hope  of  catch- 
ing us." 

A  few  shots  were  fired ;  several  soldiers  fell,  and  were 
immediately  thrown  overboard,  to  lighten  the  boats.  An 
arrow  struck  Raiden  in  the  shoulder;  but  its  force  was 
spent ;  it  merely  pricked  him,  and  fell  into  the  canoe. 

"  That  was  well  aimed,"  said  Eaiden. 

The  moon  was  in  mid-heaven  ;  but  the  polished  mirror 
was  dimmed  as  if  by  a  breath.  It  soon  assumed  a  rosy 
tint ;  then  became  cottony ;  then  was  nothing  more  than 
a  white  cloud.  The  blue  and  silver  color  of  the  sky 
was  shadowed  by  a  tinge  of  pale  amethyst,  which  spread 
rapidly  from  the  horizon ;  violet  lights  shimmered  over 
the  sea.  It  was-  day. 

Behind  the  promontory,  the  Prince's  fleet  had  heard 
the  shots -which  were  to  be  their  signal ;  they  at  once  left 
the'  shore  and  spread  their  sails,  which  assumed  the  lovely 
hue  of  peach-blossoms  in  the  first  sunbeams.  As  soon 
as  they  were  within  reach  of  his  voice,  the  Prince  of 
Ifagato,  standing  up  in  the  canoe,  shouted  with  all  his 
might :  — 

12 


178  THE    USURPER. 

"  Surround  those  long-boats  !  Cut  off  their  retreat ! 
Capture  them ! " 

Loo  danced  with  delight.  "  After  sinking  the  big  craft, 
we  confiscate  the  little  ones,"  said  he. 

The  soldiers  saw  their  danger ;  they  put  about,  and 
tried  to  escape.  But  how  could  they  contend  in  a  trial 
of  speed  with  oars  against  those  great  sails  swelling  in 
the  morning  breeze?  The  boats  were  quickly  overtaken, 
then  passed.  The  soldiers  gave  up  all  for  lost.  By 
steering  straight  upon  them,  and  with  a  single  blow,  one 
of  those  large  vessels  could  sink  them  in  a  second.  They 
hastily  threw  their  weapons  into  the  water,  in  sign  of 
submission.  The  men  were  hauled  on  board;  then  the 
long-boats  were  swamped  and  sunk. 

"  Go  seek  your  monstrous  mother  at  the  bottom  of  the 
sea ! "  cried  Loo,  as  he  watched  them  go  down. 

The  three  canoes  then  joined  the  flotilla.  The  Prince 
and  his  sailors  boarded  the  large  vessels. 

Loo  related  to  those  who  had  been  left  behind  how 
they  had  swamped  the  enemy's  junks,  how  he  got  drowned 
in  a  hole,  then  was  brought  back  to  life  again,  to  wear  a 
sword  like  a  lord.  The  prisoners  were  counted  as  they 
stood  with  heads  bent,  resigned,  and  waiting  for  their 
fate.  There  were  fifty  of  them. 

"  Our  bold  plan  succeeded  better  than  we  could  have 
hoped,"  said  the  Prince;  "I  am  still  lost  in  amaze  at 
its  realization ;  but  since  Marisiten,  the  god  of  battles,  the 
divinity  with  six  arms  and  three  faces,  has  been  so  far 
favorable  to  us,  do  not  let  us  rest  from  our  labors  yet. 
We  must  now  surround  Dragon-fly  Island,  and  cut  it  off 
from  the  rest  of  the  world,  until  the  Shogun's  army  comes 
to  our  relief." 

"  Hurrah  !  hurrah  ! "  cried  the  sailors,  made  enthu- 
siastic by  their  recent  victory. 


THE    USURPER.  179 

"How  many  soldiers  are  there  on  the  island?"  the 
Prince  asked  one  of  the  prisoners. 

The  soldier  hesitated ;  he  looked  up  and  down,  then 
right  and  left,  as  if  asking  advice.  All  at  once  he  de- 
cided to  speak. 

"  Why  should  I  hide  the  truth1? "  said  he.  "  There  are 
two  thousand." 

"  Very  well !  "  exclaimed  the  Prince  ;  "  let  us  make  for 
the  island,  and  allow  no  one  to  quit  it ;  then  we  shall 
have,  not  fifty  prisoners,  but  two  thousand." 

Loud  cheers  greeted  Nagato's  words ;  they  set  off.  Soon 
the  said  went  round  ;  the  sailors  chanted  a  war-song,  which 
they  sang,  each  in  his  own  fashion,  producing  a  lively  but 
deafening  melody. 

The  deepest  consternation  reigned  in  the  island.  No 
one  could  believe  his  own  eyes.  The  junks,  so  strong  and 
so  beautiful,  sank  suddenly  in  the  sea ;  the  boats,  full  of 
soldiers,  did  not  come  back.  Who  could  this  enemy  be, 
who  struck  in  the  dark  ?  The  sentinels  had  only  seen  a 
frail  canoe,  manned  by  three  men,  who,  impudently  cling- 
ing to  the  ship,  hammered  away  at  the  hull  with  all  their 
might  and  main,  and  ripped  it  up ;  then  fled,  setting  them 
at  defiance. 

So  there  were  no  more  ships  ;  even  boats  were  lacking. 
They  had  no  means  of  leaving  the  island.  There  they 
were  established,  as  if  in  a  fortress  surrounded  by  an  im- 
mense moat.  Protected  by  their  war-junks,  it  was  an  ex- 
cellent position  indeed.  But  now  the  fortress  proved  their 
prison;  if  speedy  succor  did  not  come,  they  were  lost. 
The  chief  in  command  of  these  two  thousand  men  —  his 
name  >was  Sandai  —  ordered  the  two  best  boats  to  be 
chosen  from  the  wretched  craft  belonging  to  the  inhab- 
itants of  the  island.  This  order  being  executed,  he 
appointed  five  men  to  each. 


180  THE   USURPER. 

"  You  will  set  off  in  all  haste,"  said  he,  "  and  rejoin 
the  main  body  of  the  army.  You  will  then  inform  the 
General  of  our  distressing  situation." 

The  boats  started  ;  but  when  they  had  gone  a  little  way, 
they  saw  a  vast  circle  of  motionless  sails,  which  barred 
their  passage.  The  boats  retraced  their  course.  They 
were  blockaded.  Sandai  collected  all  the  provisions, 
taking  the  animals  and  crops  of  the  inhabitants.  There 
was  a  week's  supply ;  besides,  they  could  catch  fish. 

"  We  must  build  big  rafts,  and  try  to  reach  the  main- 
land unseen,  by  night,"  said  the  leader. 

The  men  set  to  work,  felled  trees,  stripped  off  the 
branches ;  thus  the  day  passed.  They  worked  all  night  as 
well ;  but  next  morning  they  saw  a  glitter  and  commotion 
on  the  Soumiossi  shore.  General  Harounaga's  army  had 
arrived. 

That  gay  warrior,  on  his  side,  was  greatly  embarrassed. 
He  did  not  know  what  to  do  in  face  of  the  foe  divided  from 
him  by  the  sea.  The  fleet  was  taking  in  stores  at  Osaka ; 
it  was  not  yet  ready  to  sail.  If  he  had  to  wait  for  its  coming 
before  making  an  attack,  the  enemy  might  escape  him. 

Harounaga  encamped  his  troops  011  the  beach,  pitched 
his  tent,  and  retired  into  it  to  consider  the  situation. 
Meantime  his  soldiers  fired  a  few  arrows  in  the  direction 
of  the  island,  by  way  of  salute;  they  fell  in  the  water, 
the  island  being  out  of  range.  Nevertheless,  towards 
noon,  a  well-aimed  arrow  fell  just  outside  Harounaga's 
tent,  and  stuck  quivering  in  the  sand.  A  paper  was 
fastened  to  the  feathered  end  of  the  arrow,  which  was 
plucked  up  and  taken  to  the  General. 

Harounaga  unfolded  the  paper,  and  read  as  follows  :  — 

"  Prepare  for  attack.  The  enemy  are  in  your  power.  I  have  de- 
prived them  of  all  means  of  escape.  I  will  provide  you  with 
means  of  reaching  them." 


THE    USURPER.  181 

The  note  was  not  signed.  The  General  left  his  tent, 
and  gazed  across  the  water.  A  fishing-boat  was  crossing 
leisurely  from  Dragon-fly  Island  to  the  Souraiossi  shore. 

"  Whom  can  this  letter  be  from  1 "  thought  Harounaga. 
"  Is  any  one  jesting  with  me  1  Am  I  to  transport  my 
whole  army  in  that  vulgar  boat  ? " 

But,  as  he  looked,  other  boats  appeared  upon  the  ocean ; 
they  came  nearer;  their  number  grew.  Harounaga 
counted  them. 

"  Well !  well !  "  he  said,  "  the  project  seems  feasible. 
Come,  my  men  !  "  he  cried,  "  take  up  your  arms ;  here 
is  a  fleet  to  carry  us  across  ! " 

As  soon  as  the  movement  of  the  troops  was  apparent, 
the  boats  advanced  to  the  shore.  The  Prince  of  Nagato 
was  first  to  land.  The  Prince  recognized  the  General. 

"  Ah  !  it 's  that  stupid  Harounaga,"  he  muttered. 

Loo  leaped  ashore.  He  wore  a  superb  sword  at  his 
waist. 

"  Twenty  men  to  a  boat,"  he  shouted.  "  There  are 
forty  of  them,  which  will  make  eight  hundred  men  to 
each  voyage." 

The  General  came  forward. 

"  What !  Prince  Nagato  !  "  he  exclaimed. 

"  I  am  Naiboum,1"  said  the  Prince  ;  "all  the  glory  of 
the  affair  shall  fall  to  you." 

"A  sovereign  expose  himself  thus  to  the  risk  of  bat- 
tle !  "  said  Harounaga,  in  surprise. 

"  I  wage  war  at  my  caprice,  subject  to  no  one ;  and  I 
find  a  certain  pleasure  in  these  novel  sensations." 

"  You  !  — you  used  to  care  for  nothing  but  feasting !  " 

"  I  prefer  warfare  now,"  said  the  Prince,  smiling;  "I 
am  fickle." 

Shots  and  confused  clamor  were  heard  in  the  distance. 
1  That  is,  incognito. 


182  THE    USURPER. 

"  What  is  that  ? "  asked  the  General. 

"  A  false  attack  upon  the  other  side  of  the  island,  to 
favor  the  landing  of  your  soldiers." 

"  Why,  you  are  as  good  a  General  as  I  am,"  said  Har- 
ounaga. 

The  Prince  hid  a  contemptuous  smile  behind  his  fan. 

The  boats,  loaded  with  men,  put  off  from  shore,  the 
General  accompanying  the  Prince.  Loo  had  picked  up  a 
sort  of  trumpet ;  and,  leaning  forward,  blew  into  it  with 
all  his  might  and  main. 

Hieyas'  soldiers  awaited  them  in  a  body,  on  the  oppo- 
site coast,  ready  to  oppose  the  lauding  to  their  utmost ; 
arrows  began  to  fly  thick  and  fast  from  both  parties.  The 
Prince  of  Nagato  sent  forward  to  right  and  left  a  boat 
full  of  men  armed  with  guns.  They  overwhelmed  the 
foe,  who  had  no  firearms,  with  an  incessant  volley  of  shot. 

Upon  shore  a  furious  hand-to-hand  fight  soon  followed. 
Men  fought  up  to  their  knees  in  the  water ;  sword-strokes 
made  the  foam  splash  high.  Sometimes  two  adversaries 
would  pull  each  other  down,  roll  over,  and  disappear. 
Dead  bodies  and  quantities  of  arrows  floated  on  the 
waves.  Sailors  caught  hold  of  the  boats,  and  pushed 
them  violently  out  to  sea.  One  strong  stroke  of  the  oar 
brought  them  back.  Then  some  would  hang  their  whole 
weight  on  one  side,  hoping  to  capsize  them.  The  hands 
clutching  the  edge  were  hewed  at  with  sabres ;  the  blood 
spurted  out,  then  trailed  upon  the  water  like  torn  rags. 

When  a  boat  was  empty,  it  returned  in  haste  to  fetch 
more  soldiers  ;  soon  the  partisans  of  the  Usurper  were 
crushed.  They  surrendered. 

The  dead  and  wounded  were  numerous.  The  latter 
were  laid  upon  the  sand,  their  wounds  were  dressed,  and 
they  were  encouraged  with  kind,  fraternal  words.  Were 
they  not  brothers  1  They  wore  the  same  uniform,  they 


THE   USURPER.  183 

spoke  the  same  language.  Some  wept  as  they  recognized 
friends  in  the  enemy's  ranks.  The  vanquished  men  sat 
upon  the  ground  in  an  attitude  of  utter  despair ;  they 
crossed  their  hands  upon  their  knees,  and  bowed  their 
heads.  Their  swords  and  bows  were  gathered  up  and 
made  into  heaps,  which  were  given  to  the  victors. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  and  the  General  advanced  into 
the  interior  of  the  island.  Harounaga  swung  from  his 
wrist  the  golden-thonged  whip ;  the  scales  of  his  cuirass 
clattered  and  clashed  as  he  strode  along  with  one  hand 
on  his  hip. 

"Bring  forward  the  leader  of  the  rebels,"  said  the 
Prince. 

Sandai  came  forward.  He  still  wore  the  varnished  black 
leather  mask,  fitted  to  the  helmet,  and  worn  in  battle ; 
he  removed  it,  and  revealed  his  melancholy  visage. 

The  presence  of  Nagato  strangely  troubled  this  chief- 
tain, who  had  formerly  asked  and  obtained  his  interest 
with  Fide-Yori.  He  had  afterwards  joined  the  Regent 
from  ambitious  motives,  and  now  he  betrayed  his  first  sov- 
ereign. Nagato's  calm  and  scornful  gaze  made  him  feel 
all  the  infamy 'of  his  conduct ;  he  saw  that  he  could  never 
again  hold  up  his  head  under  the  double  humiliation  of 
defeat  and  dishonor.  Moreover,  the  Prince  seemed  to  him 
clad  in  peculiar  majesty.  Amidst  his  warriors  in  full 
armor,  their  heads  protected  by  strong  helmets,  Iwakura 
stood  bareheaded,  dressed  in  a  black  silk  robe  with  a  slight 
tracery  in  gold  ;  on  his  hands  were  white  satin  gloves, 
reaching  to  the  elbow,  and  above  each  arm  a  stiff  plas- 
tron forming  an  epaulette,  and  making  his  shoulders  seem 
very  broad.  In  this  guise  he  looked  more  formidable 
than  all  the  rest. 

The  Prince  played  carelessly  with  his  fan,  and  did  not 
appear  to  recollect  that  he  had  ever  known  Sandai. 


184  THE   USURPER. 

"  Rebel,"  he  said,  without  raising  his  voice,  "  I  do  not 
ask  you  if  you  will  renounce  your  crime,  and  return  to 
the  service  of  your  true  lord.  Pride,  I  know,  survives 
honor  in  the  heart  of  man,  and  you  -would  refuse." 

"  Prince,"  said  Sandai,  "  before  the  battle  your  voice 
might  have  recalled  me  to  my  duty,  and  brought  me  to 
your  feet;  but  after  defeat  no  leader  can  disown  his  acts 
and  serve  his  conqueror.  Therefore  I  cannot  consent  to 
yield." 

"  So  be  it ;  I  will  send  you  back  to  the  master  of  your 
choice,"  said  Nagato.  "  You  will  set  off  alone,  unaccom- 
panied by  page  or  squire ;  you  will  rejoin  Hieyas,  and  say 
to  him  this:  '  General  Harounaga  conquered  us;  but  it 
was  the  Prince  of  Nagato  who  sank  the  junks  which  might 
have  rescued  us.' " 

"  Illustrious  Daimio,"  said  Sandai,  without  any  sign  of 
anger,  "  I  am  a  general,  and  not  a  messenger.  I  may  be 
guilty,  but  I  am  not  a  coward ;  I  can  endure  merited 
insult  without  revolt,  but  I  cannot  survive  it.  Send 
some  other  messenger  to  Hie}ras ;  and  let  him  add  to  the 
tidings  he  bears  the  news  of  my  death." 

Profound  silence  followed  this  speech.  All  understood 
the  General's  intention,  and  no  one  desired  to  oppose  him. 
Sandai  seated  himself  upon  the  ground.  He  drew  one 
of  his  swords,  —  the  shorter  of  the  two ;  then,  having 
saluted  the  Prince,  he  ripped  himself  up  with  a  single 
blow. 

"  That  deed  raises  you  in  my  eyes,"  said  Nagato,  who 
was  perhaps  still  heard  by  the  dying  man. 

"  Let  this  warrior  be  buried  upon  the  island,  with  the 
pomp  appropriate  to  his  rank,"  said  Harounaga. 

Sandai's  body  was  borne  away. 

"  Now,"  said  the  Prince,  "  I  will  take  a  little  rest.  I 
begin  to  recall  the  fact  that  I  spent  the  whole  night  upon 


THE    USURPER.  185 

the  sea,  and  that  I  never  closed  my  eyes  for  a  second. 
The  victory  is  as  complete  as  possible.  It  only  remains 
for  you,  Harounaga,  to  establish  communications  be- 
tween Soumiossi  and  the  island  which  you  have  con- 
quered. You  can  do  so  by  the  aid  of  rafts,  forming  a 
kind  of  bridge.  Despatch  messengers  to  Fide-Yori,  oc- 
cupy the  island  and  the  neighboring  coasts,  keep  a  watch 
over  the  sea,  and  await  fresh  orders  from  Osaka." 

"  Thanks  for  your  precious  advice,"  said  the  General. 
"  You  are  the  true  victor.  Will  you  permit  me  to  say  so 
to  our  much-loved  lord  1 " 

"No,"  said  the  Prince;  "announce  it  to  Hieyas  only. 
I  desire  my  name  to  ring  in  his  ear  like  a  threat." 

With  these  words  the  Prince  of  Nagato  withdrew. 
Night  fell,  quiet  and  cool ;  then  it  passed  away,  and  day 
reappeared. 

General  Harounaga  came  from  his  tent,  and  inquired 
if  the  Prince  had  waked.  He  had  grown  accustomed  to 
taking  his  orders  and  advice.  It  spared  him  the  trouble 
of  thinking.  He  had  a  thousand  questions  to  ask.  A 
messenger  ran  to  the  tent  which  had  been  pitched  for 
Nagato.  It  was  half  open ;  but  on  looking  in,  the  Prince 
was  found  to  be  absent. 

"  He  may  have  gone  back  to  his  boat,"  said  Harounaga. 

They  hastened  to  the  shore.  There  was  not  a  sail  on 
the  sea ;  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  fleet  had  vanished. 


186  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  PRINCIPALITY  OF  NAGATO. 

AT  the  beginning  of  hostilities,  Fatkoura,  according 
to  the  arrangement  made  by  the  Prince,  had  been 
despatched  to  Hagui,  the  castle  of  her  betrothed,  under 
an  escort  provided  by  the  Queen,  to  protect  her  from  the 
dangers  of  the  road.  She  also  took  all  her  household. 
In  the  midst  of  her  despair  and  disappointed  love,  she 
felt  a  cruel  pleasure.  "  There  are  three  of  us  miserable 
now,"  she  thought.  She  had  agreed  to  marry  the  Prince, 
with  an  idea  of  being  avenged.  Besides,  how  could  she 
refuse  1  The  Kisaki  had  ordered  the  marriage,  nobly  sac- 
rificing her  own  unacknowledged  love  ;  moreover,  every- 
body in  the  palace  knew  Fatkoura's  feeling  for  the  Prince 
of  Nagato.  She  had  revealed  it  unhesitatingly,  in  the 
pride  of  her  joy,  when  she  thought  herself  beloved.  She 
left  the  Court  hastily,  tired  of  wearing  a  smiling  mask 
before  her  friends,  whose  congratulations  overwhelmed 
her. 

During  the  journey,  she  saw  nothing  of  the  lovely 
country  through  which  she  passed.  She  kept  her  eyes 
fixed  on  the  matting  of  her  norimono,  her  grief  growing 
ever  more  profound.  Sometimes  she  sent  for  Tika ;  and 
the  girl  would  crouch  down  opposite  her,  and  gaze  at 
her  with  anxious  pity,  trying  to  rouse  her  from  her 
melancholy  revery. 


THE    USURPER.  187 

"Just  see,  mistress!"  she  would  say;  "see  what  a 
pretty  river,  the  color  of  absinthe,  runs  between  those 
velvety  hills.  Every  shade  of  green  is  to  be  found  there, 
—  the  green  of  the  pale  willow,  of  the  dark  cypress,  of  the 
silvery  birch,  of  the  turf,  bright  as  an  emerald  ;  each  adds 
its  varying  hue.  And  look,  the  moss,  to  make  that  green 
too,  has  crept  all  over  the  water-mill,  whose  image  is  re- 
flected in  the  water.  And  yonder  those  reeds,  which  look 
like  swords,  and  those  ducks,  flapping  their  wings  and  fly- 
ing away  with  necks  outstretched,  — they  are  as  green  as 
is  the  rest  of  the  landscape." 

Fatkoura  did  not  heed  her. 

"  He  will  come  back  to  you,"  said  Tika,  giving  up  all 
hope  of  turning  the  thoughts  of  her  mistress  from  her 
persistent  grief;  "  when  you  are  his  wife  he  will  love  you 
again,  you  are  so  beautiful." 

"  He  never  loved  me,  and  I  don't  want  him  to  love 
me,"  said  Fatkoura ;  "  for  I  hate  him." 

Tika  sighed. 

"  I  have  but  one  pleasure,  and  that  is  to  know  that  he 
suffers  ;  that  she  too  —  she  who  crushes  me  by  her  power 
and  her  matchless  beauty  —  is  devoured  by  sorrow.  They 
love,  and  they  may  not  confess  it.  I  am  one  obstacle 
the  more  between  them.  The  Mikado  might  have  died ; 
then  she  could  have  married  him." 

"  A  Kisaki !  marry  a  prince  ! "  exclaimed  Tika. 

"You  forget,"  said  Fatkoura,  ''that  Nagato's  ancestor 
was  next  in  rank  to  the  Mikado.  Iwakura's  crest  still 
proclaims  the  fact,  for  it  consists  of  two  Chinese  charac- 
ters, meaning  :  '  The  highest  rank.'  In  the  days  when  I 
loved  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  the  Son  of  the  Gods  himself 
could  not  "have  driven  him  from  my  heart." 

"  You  love  him  more  than  ever,"  murmured  Tika. 

Sometimes  Fatkoura  was  moved  with  pity  for  her  own 


188  THE   USURPER. 

fate.  She  recalled  the  time  when  the  delight  of  being 
loved  filled  her  soul ;  and  she  wept  bitterly.  But  tears 
failed  to  comfort  her. 

"  I  am  a  fool !  "  she  said ;  "  I  long  to  weep  npon  his 
shoulder ;  I  fain  would  pour  out  my  anguish  to  his  cold 
and  cruel  heart !  " 

Then  her  angar  grew  strong  within  her  once  more. 

At  last  she  reached  the  town  of  Hagui,  situated  on  the 
shores  of  the  Japanese  Sea.  She  entered  the  superb  gate- 
way of  the  ancient  fortress  of  the  Princes  of  Nagato.  In 
the  first  courtyard  Iwakura's  father  came  forward  to 
meet  her,  and  greeted  her  kindly,  saying  :  "  Welcome  to 
your  home,  Princess  of  Nagato."  Though  sixty  years 
old,  he  was  straight  and  strong.  In  the  nobility  of  his 
features  the  young  woman  traced  some  likeness  to  Iwa- 
kura.  The  Prince  had  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  eldest 
son  some  years  before ;  he  now  devoted  himself  to  the 
education  of  his  youngest  boy,  a  lad  of  thirteen,  who 
stood  beside  him,  and  npon  whose  head  his  hand  rested. 

Fatkoura  was  forced  to  smile  and  seem  cheerful.  She 
hid  her  mouth  behind  her  sleeve,  with  that  modest  and 
affectionate  gesture  familiar  to  Japanese  women  ;  then  she 
knelt  for  a  moment  at  the  Prince's  feet.  He  treated 
her  in  a  fatherly  manner,  —  made  her  splendid  presents, 
installed  her  in  the  state  apai'tments,  showed  her  his  do- 
mains, gave  entertainments  for  her,  and  got  up  hunting 
parties  in  her  honor. 

Fatkoura  experienced  a  strange  emotion  amid  these 
surroundings,  which  so  vividly  recalled  her  betrothed. 
She  saw  the  room  in  which  he  was  born  ;  the  playthings 
broken  by  his  childish  hands ;  his  first  clothes,  which  still 
retained  the  impress  of  a  figure  graceful  even  then.  She 
was  told  a  thousand  pretty  anecdotes  of  his  adored  in- 
fancy ;  then  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  boy  and  man,  his 


THE   USURPER.  189 

literary  triumphs,  the  nobility  of  his  soul,  his  goodness 
and  devotion.  The  old  Prince  never  wearied  of  the  tale  ; 
and  the  father's  love  tortured  and  increased  the  woman's 
unhappy  passion.  Then  a  sort  of  resignation  came  to 
her.  By  dint  of  hiding  her  grief  she  huried  it  in  the 
depths  of  her  soul,  and  diminished  it.  She  tried  to  for- 
get that  she  was  not  beloved  ;  she  found  comfort  in  the 
strength  of  her  own  affection. 

"I  love,"  she  would  say  to  herself;  "that  is  enough. 
I  will  be  content  to  see  him,  to  hear  his  voice,  to  bear  his 
name.  I  will  be  patient.  Time,  perhaps,  may  cure  his 
passion.  Then  he  will  take  pity  on  my  long  suffering ; 
he  will  remember  all  that  I  have  endured  for  his  sake ; 
his  heart  will  be  softened ;  he  will  love  me.  I  shall  end 
my  days  in  happiness  with  him ;  I  shall  be  the  mother 
of  his  children." 

When  the  rumors  of  war  were  confirmed,  anxiety  took 
possession  of  all  hearts ;  the  life  of  the  absent  one  was 
in  danger. 

"  Where  is  he  at  this  moment  1 "  asked  Fatkoura. 

"  He  is  at  the  most  perilous  post,  I  arn  sure,"  replied 
the  old  nobleman.  He  said  this  with  pride,  holding  his 
head  erect ;  but  his  voice  trembled,  and  tears  stood  in 
his  eyes. 

Then  more  details  reached  the  castle.  The  Princes  of 
Figo  and  Tosa  threatened  Osaka,  and  also  the  province 
of  Nagato.  Iwakura's  father  raised  an  army,  and  de- 
spatched troops  to  the  frontier.  "  "We  have  one  ally, 
the  Prince  of  Aki,"  said  he ;  "  besides,  we  shall  not  be 
attacked.  No  one  has  a  grudge  against  us." 

He  was  mistaken.  The  soldiers  sent  forward  by  him 
had  not  yet  reached  the  limits  of  the  kingdom,  when  the 
Prince  of  Tosa  landed  on  the  shores  of  the  inland  sea. 
Full  of  alarm,  the  Prince  sent  a  deputation  to  his  neigh- 


190  THE    USURPER. 

bor,  the  lord  of  Aki,  who  declared  that  he  intended  to 
remain  neutral  in  tho  war. 

"  He  is  a  traitor,  an  infamous  wretch  !  "  cried  old 
Nagato,  when  his  envoys  brought  him  back  this  answer. 
"  AVoll,  we  will  defend  ourselves  unaided,  —  with  no  hope 
of  victory,  to  be  sure,  but  with  the  certainty  that  we  shall 
not  dim  the  lustre  of  our  former  glory." 

When  he  was  alone  with  Fatkoura,  the  Prince  let  all 
his  despondency  appear. 

"  I  pray,"  said  he,  "  that  my  son  may  remain  with  the 
Shogun,  and  not  return  here.  Attacked  by  these  powers, 
we  cannot  possibly  conquer.  If  he  were  here,  he  would 
rush  to  his  death  ;  and  who  would  avenge  us  then  ?  " 

A  party  of  horsemen  now  entered  the  castle.  The 
Prince  turned  pale  as  he  saw  them.  They  wore  Nagato's 
crest  upon  their  shields. 

"  Do  you  bring  news  of  my  son  ?•"  he  asked,  in  an 
unsteady  voice. 

"Illustrious  lord,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  is  in  good 
health,"  said  a  Samurai.  "  He  is  at  this  moment  on  the 
borders  of  the  kingdom,  busy  rallying  the  army  around 
him.  He  intends  to  march  against  the  Prince  of  Figo." 

"  Aki  has  betrayed  us ;  does  my  son  know  that  ?  "  said 
the  Prince. 

"  He  knows  it,  master.  The  Prince  passed  through  the 
province  subject  to  that  wretch  ;  he  supposed  him  friendly, 
but  was  treacherously  attacked.  Thanks  to  his  \m- 
equalled  bravery,  he  scattered  his  assailants;  but  half 
his  baggage  was  lost." 

"What  orders  did  he  send  us  through  you?" 

"  These,  sire  :  the  Prince  of  Nagato  begs  you  to  levy 
an  extra  number  of  troops  and  despatch  them  to  meet  the 
Prince  of  Tosa,  who  is  advancing  towards  Chozan ;  then 
to  double  the  defenders  of  the  fortress,  take  in  large 


THE   USURPER.  191 

supplies  of  provisions,  and  shut  yourself  up  in  it ;  he 
also  requests  that  you  will  put  me  in  command  of  the 
troops  sent  against  Tosa." 

These  orders  were  at  once  executed. 

One  event  followed  another  in  rapid  succession.  Other 
messengers  arrived.  The  Prince  of  Nagato  gave  battle 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  kingdom,  in  the  territory  of 
Smvo  ;  the  lord  of  Suwo,  a  vassal  of  the  Prince  of  Aki, 
favored  the  landing  of  Figo's  men.  But  Iwakura  defeated 
these  troops  on  the  inland  sea;  many  were  drowned, 
others  took  refuge  on  board  the  ships  lying  at  anchor. 
Meantime  the  lord  of  Suwo's  little  army  attacked  the 
Prince  in  the  rear,  trying  to  cut  him  off  from  the  prov- 
ince of  Nagato ;  but  the  army  was  completely  routed,  and 
the  Prince  was  able  to  regain  his  kingdom. 

Then  Figo,  supported  by  fresh  forces,  reappeared  on 
the  outskirts  of  Nagato,  and  Iwakura  prepared  to  repulse 
a  second  attack. 

But  while  the  Prince  of  Nagato  triumphed  in  the 
northern  part  of  his  domains,  the  Prince  of  Tosa  invaded 
them  on  the  south. 

The  province  of  Nagato,  the  extreme  point  of  the 
Island  of  Nipon,  is  bounded  on  three  sides  by  the  sea,  — 
on  the  south-east  by  the  inland  sea  divided  from  the 
Pacific  Ocean  by  the  islands  of  Shikoku  and  Kiu-Shiu; 
on  the  west  by  the  Straits  of  Corea  ;  on  the  north  by  the 
Japan  Sea ;  and  on  the  east  a  mountain  chain  separates 
it  from  the  principalities  of  Suwo  and  Aki. 

The  Prince  of  Tosa  came  from  the  Island  of  Shikoku 
by  way  of  the  Bungo  Channel,  crossing  the  inland  sea 
directly  to  Chosan.  His  plan  was  to  march  through  the 
province  straight  upon  Hagui,  the  capital,  situated  on  the 
other  side,  upon  the  shores  of  the  Japan  Sea. 

.Tosa  encountered  the  troops  hastily  levied  and  sent 


192  THE    USURPER. 

to  the  front  by  the  old  lord  of  Nagato ;  but  those  raw 
recruits  gave  way  before  the  well-trained  army  of  the 
invader,  and  beating  a  retreat,  fell  back  upon  Hagui. 
Preparations  were  then  made  to  maintain  a  siege. 

The  stronghold  stood  some  distance  from  the  town,  upon 
an  eminence  surrounded  by  a  moat ;  from  the  top  of  its 
towers  could  be  seen  the  fields  and  the  sea. 

Tosa's  army  soon  covered  the  plain.  The  old  lord 
watched  it  from  the  fortress. 

"  My  daughter,"  said  he  to  Fatkoura,  "  I  wish  you  had 
stayed  in  Kioto  !  " 

"Father,"  replied  the  young  woman,  "it  is  my  duty 
and  my  pleasure  to  be  here  in  my  husband's  castle,  when 
it  is  in  danger." 

Moreover  her  peril  distressed  her  but  little.  Her  anger 
was  dead  ;  she  felt  nothing  now  but  love  ;  she  trembled 
for  her  dear  one's  life ;  frightful  anguish  rent  her  soul. 
The  arrival  of  a  messenger  did  not  allay  her  fears. 

"  Since  that  man  left  him,"  she  thought,  "  he  might 
have  died  twenty  times  over." 

But  the  castle  was  blockaded ;  messengers  could  no 
longer  reach  them. 

The  town  made  a  brave  resistance,  but  was  captured  on 
the  fifth  day;  then  began  the  siege  of  the  stronghold. 
The  Prince  of  Tosa  himself  directed  the  siege. 

The  enemy  first  constructed  a  long  roof  of  wood,  cov- 
ered with  plates  of  iron ;  then  they  raised  it  upon  very 
tall  posts,  to  which  they  fastened  it.  This  formed  a 
species  of  penthouse,  which  they  placed  in  the  moat. 
They  then  brought  earth,  stones,  and  brushwood,  which 
they  flung  into  the  water.  The  arrows  aimed  at  them  re- 
bounded from  the  roof  of  the  penthouse.  Huge  blocks 
of  stone  were  hurled  from  the  castle  on  the  hill,  to  crush 
this  dangerous  refuge ;  but  their  force  was  deadened  as 


THE    USURPER.  193 

they  rolled,  and  most  of  them  fell  into  the  moat,  —  only 
serving  to  help  the  besieging  party  in  their  labor,  as 
they  quietly  went  on  filling  up  a  portion  of  the 
moat,  under  the  sheltering  roof  which  they  had  built. 
No  more  projectiles  were  therefore  thrown  from  the 
ramparts. 

The  soldiers  made  a  sally  ;  and  marching  down  the  road 
which  winds  around  the  hill  like  a  ribbon,  approached 
the  moat.  To  reach  the  point  where  the  foe  was  at  work, 
they  were  forced  to  quit  the  road,  protected  by  a  double 
row  of  cypress-trees,  and  march  aci'oss  the  slippery  grass 
which  carpeted  the  steep  slope  of  the  hill.  The  soldiers 
did  their  best ;  but  they  found  it  almost  impossible  to  fire 
under  these  circumstances,  while  they  themselves  afforded 
a  fine  target  to  their  adversaries.  The  wounded  rolled 
down  hill  and  fell  into  the  moat. 

Nagato's  men  gave  up  the  attempt  perforce,  and  re- 
turned to  the  castle.  The  enemy  finished  their  work 
without  any  trouble ;  making  a  broad  dyke  to  the  foot  of 
the  hill,  over  which  the  army  might  pass. 

They  then  stormed  the  fortress,  which  resisted  bravely, 
and  refused  to  surrender.  The  besieged  party  fought  to 
the  last  upon  the  crumbling  walls.  The  victors  rushed 
in,  threw  open  the  doors,  let  down  the  bridge ;  and  the 
Prince  of  Tosa  entered  the  castle  of  Kagato  to  the  sound 
of  triumphal  music.  ^ 

The  sight  which  met  his  eyes  in  the  first  courtyard 
which  he  entered,  affected  him  most  disagreeably.  There 
had  been  no  time  to  bury  the  dead,  who  had  been  col- 
lected in  this  coui*t,  in  a  sitting  posture,  their  backs 
against  the  wall.  There  were  nearly  a  hundred  bodies, 
with  greenish  faces,  gaping  mouths,  and  staring  eyes, 
their  arms  hanging  limp ;  they  were  terrible  to  behold. 

The  Prince  of  Tosa  fancied  that  they  glared  at  him, 
13 


194  THE   USURPER. 

and  forbade  him  to  enter.  As  he  was  superstitious,  he 
was  on  the  point  of  turning  back.  But  he  soon 
mastered  his  weakness,  went  on  into  an  inner  hall  of 
the  palace,  and  ordered  the  old  lord,  his  women,  chil- 
dren, and  entire  household,  to  be  brought  before  him. 
They  soon  appeared. 

There  were  aged  women,  some  accompanying  a  de- 
crepit father,  young  girls,  and  children.  The  lord  of  the 
castle  came  forward,  leading  his  son,  and  followed  by 
Fatkoura. 

"  If  you  wish  to  destroy  these  women,"  said  old  Nagato, 
looking  at  Tosa  with  scorn,  "  say  so  at  once,  that  I  may 
curse  you,  and  call  down  every  possible  affliction  upon 
your  head." 

"  What  do  I  care,  whether  they  live  or  die  1 "  cried  Tosa. 
"You  yourself,  having  abdicated,  count  for  nothing,  and 
I  spare  your  gray  hairs.  I  seek  among  you  a  hostage  of 
sufficient  value  to  guarantee  the  submission  of  the  Prince 
of  Nagato  ;  for,  having  won  the  victory,  I  cannot  remain 
upon  his  lands.  The  war  summons  me  in  another  direc- 
tion. Which  shall  I  take,"  he  continued,  —  "  the  son,  or 
the  father  ?  The  child  is  very  young  yet,  and  of  no  impor- 
tance ;  for  want  of  a  better,  I  will  carry  off  the  father." 

"  Take  me  with  him  then  !  "  exclaimed  the  boy. 

Suddenly  Fatkoura  stepped  forward. 

"  Since  you  think  his  father  too  old,  and  his  brother 
too  young,"  she  cried,  "  take  captive  the  sovereign's  wife, 
if  you  consider  her  worthy  regret." 

"Certainly  I  will  take  you  ;  for  you  must  be  pas- 
sionately loved,"  said  Tosa,  struck  by  Fatkoura's 
beauty. 

"  Why  have  you  betrayed  yourself,  my  daughter  ? " 
muttered  old  Nagato.  "  Why  not  let  me  go  1 " 

"  Is  she  really  Iwakura's  wife?"  asked  the  conqueror, 


THE  USURPER.  195 

stirred  by  a  doubt.    "  I  command  you  to  give  me  a  truth- 
ful answer,  Nagato." 

"  Every  word  which  my  mouth  utters  is  the  word  of 
truth,"  said  Nagato.  "  This  woman  is  my  son's  wife,  for 
they  have  pledged  their  troth;  nothing  but  the  war 
delayed  the  wedding." 

"  Very  well ;  let  Iwakura  seek  his  bride  in  the  castle  of 
the  Princes  of  Tosa ;  and  the  ransom  which  he  must  pay 
for  her  shall  be  proportioned  to  the  value  of  the  treasure 
which  I  bear  off.'' 

"  What  have  you  done  1  what  have  you  done  1 "  sighed 
the  old  Prince.  "  How  shall  I  ever  dare  to  tell  my  son 
that  his  wife  is  a  prisoner  ? " 

"You  should  be  thankful,"  said  the  Prince  of  Tosa; 
"  for  see  how  generous  I  am.     I  give  you  your  life,  — 
your  own  life,  that  of  your  son,  and  the  lives  of  all  your 
household ;  I  permit  you  to  rebuild  the  shattered  walls 
of  your  castle,  and  am  content  with  this  one  captive." 

"  I  am  ready  to  go,"  said  Fatkoura,  glad  to  be  sacrificed 
for  the  safety  of  the  rest ;  "  may  I  take  a  maid  with  me  1 " 

"  One  or  several,  and  as  much  baggage  as  you  choose," 
said  the  Prince  of  Tosa.  "You  will  be  treated  by  me  as 
a  sovereign  should  be." 

That  very  night  Fatkoura  left  the  castle  of  Nagato. 
She  vainly  strove  to  restrain  her  tears  as  she  passed  over 
the  threshold  in  her  norimono,  borne  by  the  retainers  of 
the  victor. 

"  I  shall  never  come  back  !  "  she  cried. 

Tika  too  wept.  When  they  had  gone  a  short  distance, 
Fatkoura  made  the  palanquin-bearers  halt ;  and  leaning 
from  the  window,  gazed  for  the  last  time  at  the  fortress 
of  Hagui,  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  already  outlined  in 
black  against  the  crimson  sky. 

"  Farewell !  farewell !  "  she  cried,  "  last  refuge  of  my 


196  THE    USURPER. 

undying  hope.  Behind  your  walls,  home  of  my  beloved, 
I  still  could  dream  of  a  remote  and  lingering  bliss.  But  it 
is  ended  ;  I  am  vowed  to  despair.  The  last  ray  which 
shone  upon  my  path  fades  with  the  dying  day." 

The  men  resumed  their  journey,  and  the  castle  was  lost 
to  sight.  The  Prince  of  Tosa  left  half  his  army  in  Nagato's 
domains.  Messengers  brought  him  word  that  Figo  had 
been  unable  to  break  through  the  enemy's  lines,  but  that 
on  hearing  the  news  of  the  siege  of  Hagui,  Iwakura  had 
suddenly  departed,  to  march  to  the  rescue  of  the  fortress. 
He  started  by  night,  and  silently;  in  the  morning  the 
field  was  found  deserted.  Figo  intended  to  follow  him 
up ;  but  victory  would  be  assured  if  they  could  bar  the 
enemy's  march  and  crush  him  between  two  armies. 

Toza  gave  his  orders  to  the  leaders  of  the  troops  whom 
he  left  behind ;  then  hastened  on  to  Chozan,  where  his 
ships  awaited  him.  He  was  reluctant  to  leave  his  do- 
minion longer  without  protection,  fearing  the  vicinity  of 
the  Prince  of  Awa,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  loyal  to 
Fide-Yori. 

When  the  junks  had  left  the  coast,  and  were  sailing  the 
inland  sea,  towards  the  Bungo  Channel,  the  Prince  visited 
his  prisoner.  He  had  established  her  in  a  superb  tent, 
in  the  stern  of  the  finest  ship,  the  one  in  which  he  him- 
self embarked.  Fatkoura  sat  upon  a  bench  covered  with 
rich  rugs ;  her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  shores  of  Nagato, 
now  disappearing  in  the  distance,  bathed  in  light. 

"  Have  you  any  wish  which  I  can  gratify,  fair  Prin- 
cess 1 "  asked  Tosa.  "  Shall  I  order  sweetmeats  to  be 
brought  1  would  you  like  to  hear  the  sound  of  the  flute 
orbivaM" 

"  All  my  wishes  rest  behind  in  the  land  which  I  have 
left,"  she  replied ;  "  I  have  but  one  wish  now,  —  to  die." 
1  A  sort  of  guitar. 


THE   USURPER.  197 

"  I  respect  your  grief,"  said  the  Prince,  and  withdrew. 

But  he  did  not  go  far.  He  paced  the  deck,  and,  as  if 
involuntarily,  he  frequently  approached  the  tent  which 
sheltered  Fatkoura.  Tika  watched  him  out  of  the  corner 
of  her  eye.  He  had  changed  his  military  costume,  and 
was  dressed  with  much  care.  The  Prince  of  Tosa  was 
thirty  years  old.  He  was  rather  fat  and  short ;  his 
brown  skin  set  off  his  white  teeth  to  advantage;  and 
his  eyes,  veiled  by  heavy  lids,  had  a  look  of  amia- 
bility. 

Tika  thought  the  Prince  quite  charming;  and  she 
smiled  faintly  every  time  that  he  heaved  a  sigh  or  cast 
a  furtive  glance  at  Fatkoura,  who  watched  the  wake  of 
the  vessel. 

"  She  is  beautiful,  is  she  not  ? "  she  said  to  herself. 
"You  think  that  the  Prince  of  Nagato  is  very  lucky  to 
have  such  a  bride ;  you  would  like  to  take  her  from  him. 
I  guessed  your  purpose  instantly.  From  the  moment 
that  you  saw  her  in  the  castle  of  Hagui,  you  had  eyes  for 
no  one  else,  and  you  carried  her  off  with  all  speed  ;  you 
feared  lest  her  lover  should  come  in  time  to  wrest  her 
from  you.  But  you  '11  have  your  labor  for  your  pains ;  she 
will  never  love  you.  .  .  .  Not  that  I  would  not  pray  for 
your  success,"  continued  Tika,  carrying  on  her  monologue  ; 
"  if  she  could  be  cured  and  become  Princess  of  Tosa,  I 
should  rejoice  sincerely.  The  Prince  of  Nagato,  too,  would 
consent  to  the  match  with  pleasure ;  but  that,  you  cannot 
suspect."  .  „.- 

The  Prince  of  Tosa  also  scanned  the  young  waiting- 
maid  from  time  to  time. 

"  Yes,  yes  !  I  understand,"  muttered  Tika ;  "  you  exam- 
ine the  stepping-stone  which  may  possibly  help  you  to 
reach  her." 

Soon  the  girl  got  up  ;  and,  as  if  to  breathe  more  freely, 


198  THE   USURPER. 

moved  about  the  deck.  She  leaned  over  the  bulwarks,  and 
looked  across  the  sea ;  but  all  the  time  she  slyly  watched 
the  Prince's  movements. 

"  Oh  !  you  will  come  to  me,"  said  she,  "  I  am  very  sure 
of  that.  Let  us  see  how  you  will  begiu  the  conversa- 
tion." 

The  Prince  did  indeed  approach  her,  though  slowly,  and 
with  some  hesitation.  Tika  looked  away. 

"  The  air  is  fresher  here,  is  it  not,  young  woman  1 "  said 
the  Prince  at  last,  pausing  in  front  of  her. 

"Well,  that  is  commonplace  enough,"  thought  Tika, 
who  replied  by  bowing  her  head. 

"  Why  does  n't  your  mistress  take  a  little  walk  1  Why 
not  let  this  light  breeze  cool  her  heated  brow  ? " 

"  The  wind  which  blows  from  the  land  of  exile  is  more 
burning  than  flames  of  fire,"  said  Tika,  in  a  solemn 
tone. 

"  Is  it  so  dreadful,  then,  to  dwell  in  one  castle  rather 
than  in  another  1 "  said  the  Prince.  "  Fatkoura  shall  be 
treated  like  a  queen.  I  swear  that  I  desire  her  captivity 
to  be  more  sweet  than  liberty  is  to  most  people.  Tell  me 
what  does  she  like  ? " 

"  Did  she  not  tell  you  that  she  cared  for  nothing  now  1 
Once  she  was  fond  of  dress,  and  music,  and  festivity ; 
more  than  all  else  she  loved  to  hear  the  footsteps  of  her 
lover  on  the  outer  gallery." 

"  She  was  very  fond  of  this  Nagato,  then  1  " 

"She  loved  him  as  he  deserved  to  be  loved;  he  is  the 
most  perfect  knight  imaginable." 

"  There  are  others  as  good,"  said  Tosa. 

"  You  think  so  !  "  cried  Tika,  with  an  incredulous  air ; 
"I  never  heard  of  them." 

"  He  loves  her  madly,  I  suppose  1 " 

"  How  could  any  one  help  loving  her  ? " 


THE   USURPER.  199 

"  True,  she  is  beautiful,"  said  the  Prince,  casting  a  look 
at  Fatkoura. 

"  You  think  her  beautiful  now,  when  her  eyes  are 
drowned  in  tears,  and  when  she  scorns  the  aid  of  paint 
and  dress.  If  you  had  seen  her  when  she  was  happy  ! " 

"  I  will  do  my  utmost  to  bring  back  a  smile  to  her 
lips,"  said  Tosa. 

"  There  is  but  one  way  to  do  that." 

"  What  is  it  ?    'Tell  me." 

"  To  restore  her  to  her  husband." 

"You  mock  me,"  cried  the  Prince,  with  a  frown. 

"I,  sir!"  said  Tika,  clasping  her  hands;  "do  you 
think  I  would  deceive  you,  and  that  it  would  not  be  the 
best  way  to  make  my  mistress  happy  ]  I  know  that  you 
will  not  try  it ;  so  you  will  never  see  her  smile." 

"  Very  well !  then  she  must  be  sad,"  said  Tosa ;  "  I 
shall  not  set  her  free." 

"  Alas  ! "  sighed  Tika. 

"  Silence  !  "  cried  the  Prince,  stamping  his  foot.  "  Why 
do  you  say  alas  1  what  difference  does  it  make  to  you 
whether  you  wait  upon  her  here  or  there.  Don't  you  see 
that  she  has  fascinated  me,  and  that  I  am  miserable  1 " 

The  Prince  moved  away  as  he  said  these  words,  while 
Tika  pretended  to  be  lost  in  profound  surprise. 

"  I  did  not  think  that  you  would  confide  in  me  quite" 
so  soon,"  she  muttered  when  he  was  gone.  "  I  divined 
your  secret  long  ago ;  but  you  little  guess  how  ready  I  am 
to  favor  your  love." 

Tika  then  went  back  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  her  mistress. 

"  You  desert  me,  to  talk  with  our  jailer,"  said  Fatkoura. 

"  It  was  he  who  came  to  talk  to  me,  mistress,"  said 
Tika ;  "  and  in  the  space  of  a  few  moments  he  told  me 
very  strange  things." 

"  What  did  he  tell  you  1" 


200  THE   USURPER. 

"  Must  I  repeat  his  words  1  you  will  not  be  angry  1 " 

w  I  don't  know  ;  but  speak." 

"  Well,  he  said  that  you  were  the  jailer,  and  he  was 
your  prisoner." 

"  What  do  you  mean  1 " 

"  That  the  Prince  of  Tosa  loves  Fatkoura,  and  that  if 
she  is  skilful,  she  can  make  him  obey  her  every  whim." 

"  I  despise  him  too  much  to  heed  whether  he  loves  or 
hates  me  1 "  said  Fatkoura,  turning  away  her  head. 

"He  is  not  so  contemptible,"  said  Tika;  "he  is  a  very 
powerful  and  very  illustrious  prince." 

"  Can  you  speak  in  such  terms  of  our  mortal  enemy, 
Tika  ?  "  said  Fatkoura,  looking  at  her  severely. 

"Do  not  scold  me,"  said  Tika,  with  a  caressing  air.  "  I 
must  hate  him  less,  since  I  know  that  your  grace  has  con- 
quered him,  and  that  in  a  few  hours  you  have  subjugated 
his  heart." 

"Yes,  you  cannot  forget  that  another  turns  his  eyes 
from  me,  and  you  are  grateful  to  this  man  for  repairing 
the  outrage  inflicted  upon  me  !  "  said  Fatkoura,  hiding 
her  face  in  her  hands. 

As  the  sea  was  smooth  and  the  voyage  pleasant,  instead 
of  travelling  by  land,  they  skirted  the  coasts  of  the  Island 
of  Shikoku,  weathered  Cape  Tosa,  and  after  sailing  north- 
ward for  some  hours  in  the  Pacific  Ocean,  the  junks  en- 
tered the  harbor  of  Kotsi.  The  city  was  gay  with  flags, 
banners,  and  lanterns ;  the  streets  were  strewn  with  blos- 
soming boughs.  The  sovereign  made  a  triumphal  entry 
at  the  head  of  his  victorious  troops. 

When  they  had  passed  through  the  town  and  entered 
the  precincts  of  the  castle,  the  Prince  himself  led  Fat- 
koura to  the  pavilion  chosen  for  her.  It  was  the  palace 
of  the  Queen  of  Tosa,  who  had  been  dead  for  several 
years. 


THE   USURPER.  201 

"I  am  deeply  pained  that  the  joyous  clamor  which 
greeted  me  should  grate  upon  your  ear,"  said  the  Prince 
to  his  prisoner ;  "  I  could  not  forbid  my  people  to  give 
way  to  their  delight,  but  I  suffered  for  your  sake." 

"  I  heard  nothing ;  my  mind  was  elsewhere,"  replied 
Fatkoura. 

Several  days  passed  before  the  Prince  visited  the  young 
woman.  His  budding  love  made  him  timid,  and  he  was 
amazed  at  this  novel  feeling.  One  morning  he  went  for 
a  solitary  walk  in  that  part  of  the  park  inhabited  by 
Fatkoura.  Tika  was  lying  in  wait  for  him,  and  without 
a  word  to  her  mistress,  appeared  upon  the  balcony.  The 
Prince  beckoned  to  her,  and  she  obeyed. 

"  Is  she  as  sad  as  ever?"  he  asked, 

"  Yes." 

"  She  hates  me,  I  suppose  ? " 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Tika. 

"  I  made  you  a  confession  the  other  day  which  I  should 
have  withheld,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  did  you  repeat  it  to 
your  mistress  ] " 

"  I  never  hide  anything  from  her,  sir." 

"  Ah  !  "  eagerly  exclaimed  the  Prince,  "  what  did  she 
say  when  she  learned  of  my  love  for  her  ? " 

"  She  said  nothing,  but  hid  her  face  in  her  hands." 

The  Prince  sighed. 

"  I  must  see  her  at  any  cost !  "  he  cried.  "  For  three 
days  I  have  deprived  myself  of  that  pleasure,  and  I  am 
worn  out ;  I  forget  that  I  am  her  master." 

"I  will  announce  your  visit  to  her,"  said  Tika,  going 
hastily  back  into  the  house. 

A  moment  later,  Tosa  stood  before  Fatkoura.  He 
thought  her  even  more  lovely  than  the  last  time  that 
he  saw  her.  Sorrow  had  ennobled  her  beauty  ;  her  com- 
plexion, free  from  cosmetics,  revealed  its  feverish  pallor, 


202  THE   USURPER. 

and  her  eyes  wore  an  expression  of  proud  resignation 
which  was  most  touching. 

The  Prince  was  agitated,  and  could  not  utter  a  sound. 
She  saluted  him  by  raising  her  sleeve  to  her  mouth.  She 
was  first  to  speak. 

"  If  there  be  one  spark  of  pity  in  your  soul,"  she  said, 
in  a  voice  trembling  with  tears,  "  do  not  leave  me  in  this 
terrible  state  of  uncertainty  ;  give  me  some  tidings  of  my 
husband  !  " 

"  I  am  afraid  to  sadden  you  still  more,  by  telling  you 
tidings  delightful  to  me,  though  wretched  for  you,  since 
you  are  my  enemy." 

"  Go  on,   I  conjure  you  !  "  cried  the  terrified  Fatkoura. 

"  Well,  then,  the  Prince  of  Figo's  army,  ably  seconded 
by  my  men,  has  triumphed  over  the  Prince  of  Nagato, 
who  fought  bravely,  I  must  acknowledge.  At  this  moment 
he  is  probably  a  prisoner.  The  latest  bulletin  informs  me 
that,  with  barely  a  hundred  men,  Nagato  intrenched  him- 
self in  a  small  grove ;  my  troops  have  surrounded  him, 
and  escape  is  impossible." 

Fatkoura  bent  her  head  in  utter  despair.  He  con- 
quered !  She  could  not  believe  it ;  she  could  not  imagine 
him  unhappy.  In  her  eyes  he  was  always  triumphant, 
he  was  foremost,  —  the  noblest,  the  handsomest  of  all ; 
besides,  how  could  he  be  a  prisoner,  when  he  might  escape 
captivity  by  death  1  She  raised  her  eyes  to  the  lord  of 
Tosa,  doubting  his  words. 

"  You  are  hiding  the  truth  from  me,"  she  said,  with  a 
look  of  painful  intensity ;  "  you  hope  to  prepare  me  for 
the  fatal  blow,  —  he  is  dead  ! " 

"  I  have  spoken  frankly,"  said  Tosa ;  "  he  will  be  taken 
alive.  But  I  would  give  you  one  piece  of  advice,  — - 
forget  that  fellow/'  he  added,  irritated  by  Fatkoura's 
distress. 


THE   USURPER.  203 

"  Forget  him  !  I !  "  she  exclaimed,  clasping  her  hands. 

"  You  must ;  all  is  over  for  him.  Do  you  think  that 
I  would  let  him  go  free,  —  the  man  whom  Hieyas  detests 
so  much  that  he  will  raise  any  one  who  shall  rid  him  of 
that  foe,  to  the  foremost  rank  in  the  empire  ;  the  man  who 
humbled  us  all  by  his  luxury,  his  wit,  his  beauty ;  the 
man  whom  you  love,  and  who  is  my  rival  1  —  for  I  love 
you." 

"  You  love  me  !  "  cried  Fatkoura,  in  horror. 

"  Yes,"  sighed  the  Prince ;  "  and  I  came  hither  to  tell 
my  love ;  but  you  led  me  on  to  speak  of  things  regarding 
which  I  would  fain  have  been  silent.  I  am  well  aware 
that  my  love  must  be  odious  to  you  at  first.  But  you 
must  accustom  yourself  to  it ;  there  is  nothing  offensive 
to  you  in  it.  I  am  free,  and  I  offer  to  make  you  my 
wife.  Think  that  the  Prince  of  Nagato  has  ceased  to 
exist." 

Tosa  then  withdrew,  that  he  might  not  hear  Fatkoura's 
reply.  He  was  angry  with  her,  and  dissatisfied  with 
himself. 

"  I  was  brutal,"  thought  he,  "  I  did  not  speak  as  I 
should  have  done ;  but  jealousy  suddenly  devoured  my 
soul.  It  is  a  fierce  pain,  which  I  never  knew  before." 

He  wandered  all  the  rest  of  the  day  in  the  gardens, 
treating  harshly  all  who  approached  him. 

"  She  will  never  love  me,"  he  said  to  himself,  "  I  have 
no  means  of  winning  her  heart ;  but  if  the  Prince  of  Na- 
gato falls  into  my  hands  I  will  take  vengeance  on  him." 

Fatkoura  was  equally  restless  ;  she  went  from  one  room 
to  another,  wringing  her  hands  and  weeping  silently.  She 
dared  not  ask  any  further  questions ;  but  each  hour  as  it 
passed  added  to  her  anxiety. 

One  night  she  heard  an  unwonted  noise  in  the  castle ; 
the  drawbridges  were  lowered,  the  clash  of  arms  rang  out. 


204  THE   USURPER. 

She  rose,  and  ran  to  the  window ;  she  saw  lights  shining 
through  the  trees. 

"  Get  up,  Tika  !  "  she  cried,  rousing  the  young  girl. 
"  Try  to  slip  in  unseen  and  overhear  what  is  said  ;  try 
to  find  out  what  is  going  on  in  the  castle." 

Tika  dressed  rapidly,  and  left  the  palace  silently.  Her 
mistress  followed  her  with  her  eyes,  but  she  was  soon  lost 
in  the  darkness. 

When  she  returned  she  was  ashy  pale,  and  pressed  her 
hand  to  her  heart. 

"  The  Prince  of  Nagato  has  just  entered  the  palace," 
she  gasped ;  "  I  saw  him  pass  by  with  a  guard  of  soldiers. 
He  was  loaded  with  chains ;  his  weapons  had  been  taken 
from  him." 

At  these  words  Fatkoura  uttered  a  loud  shriek,  and 
fell  to  the  floor. 

"  Can  she  be  dead?"  exclaimed  Tika,  in  alarm,  kneeling 
beside  her  mistress.  . 

She  put  her  ear  to  Fatkoura's  breast.  Her  heart  beat 
rapidly,  but  her  eyes  were  shut ;  she  was  cold  and  motion- 
less. 

"  What  shall  I  do  1  what  shall  I  do?"  said  Tika,  not 
daring  to  call,  her  mistress  having  forbidden  her  to  admit 
any  of  the  servants  apportioned  to  her  by  the  Prince  of 
Tosa. 

The  fainting-fit  lasted  a  long  time.  When  Fatkoura 
re-opened  her  eyes,  it  was  day.  She  looked  at  Tika  for  a 
moment  in  surprise ;  but  her  memory  soon  returned. 
She  rose  abruptly. 

"  We  must  save  him,  Tika,"  she  exclaimed,  with  fever- 
ish excitement ;  "  we  must  get  him  out  of  this  castle." 

"  Has  she  lost  her  mind  1 "  thought  Tika. 

"  Come,"  continued  Fatkoura ;  "  let  us  see  if  we  can 
find  out  in  what  part  of  the  palace  he  is  confined." 


THE   USURPER.  205 

"  Are  you  in  earnest,  mistress  1  At  this  time  of  day  1 
The  sun  has  not  yet  drunk  up  the  morning  dews.  We 
should  be  suspected  if  we  were  seen  walking  so  early, 
especially  as  you  have  never  once  left  your  room  since 
you  came  here." 

"  No  matter ;  you  can  say  that  fever  drove  me  from  my 
bed.  Come  ! " 

Fatkoura  stepped  down  into  the  garden,  and  walked 
straight  forward.  The  grass  was  still  dripping  wet ;  the 
trees  and  bushes  were  bathed  in  rosy  light ;  the  topmost 
peaks  of  the  great  castle-tower,  touched  by  the  first  rays 
of  the  sun,  glittered,  moist  with  dew.  Tika  followed  her 
mistress.  They  came  to  the  palisade  enclosing  their 
particular  domain.  The  door  was  only  on  the  latch  ; 
the  prisoners  were  free  to  roam  at  will  within  the 
well-guarded  fortress.  The  soldiers  who  brought  Prince 
Nagato  were  encamped  in  the  avenues  of  the  pai'k.  The 
greater  number  slept,  lying  flat  on  their  stomachs,  with 
their  heads  on  their  arms ;  others,  crouching  round  a 
dying  fire,  ate  rice  from  large  straw-covered  bowls. 

"  Tika,"  said  Fatkoura,  looking  at  these  men  and  the 
weapons  which  gleamed  beside  them,  "  a  sword  is  a  faith- 
ful comrade,  that  opens  the  door  to  the  other  life,  and 
allows  one  to  escape  dishonor.  The  conqueror  robbed  me 
of  my  dagger.  Try  to  steal  the  sword  of  one  of  those 
soldiers." 

"  Mistress  !  "  said  Tika,  casting  a  frightened  glance  at 
the  young  woman. 

"  Obey  me  !  "  said  Fatkoura. 

"Then  we  must  move  away  from  those  who  are  awake, 
and  keep  in  the  background ;  the  rustle  of  our  robes 
might  betray  us." 

Tika  glided  between  the  beds  of  flowers ;  then  stretched 
herself  on  the  grass,  and  reached  out  as  far  as  she  could 


206  THE   USURPER. 

towards  a  soldier  lying  on  the  edge  of  the  path.  He  slept 
upon  his  back,  his  nose  in  the  air.  His  sword  lay  by  his 
side.  The  girl  touched  the  weapon  with  the  tips  of  her 
fingers.  Her  nails  made  a  slight  sound  against  the  scab- 
bard. Her  heart  beat  violently.  The  soldier  did  not  stir. 
She  advanced  yet  a  little,  and  seized  the  sword  by  the 
middle  ;  then  she  slid  slowly  back  across  the  grass. 

"  I  have  it,  mistress  !  "  she  whispered,  returning  to 
Fatkoura. 

"  Give  it  to  me  !  Give  it  to  me  !  I  shall  feel  easier 
•with  that  defender  near  me." 

Fatkoura  hid  the  sword  in  her  bosom;  then  walked 
quickly  away,  heedless  where  she  went.  Suddenly  she 
found  herself  within  a  few  paces  of  the  palace  inhabited 
by  the  Prince  of  Tosa.  People  were  coming  and  going. 
She  heard  the  sound  of  voices ;  she  drew  still  nearer, 
and  knelt  behind  a  bush  to  listen.  She  overheard  a  few 
words,  and  found  that  some  one  was  congratulating  the 
Prince  upon  his  recent  capture. 

"  I  thank  you,"  said  Tosa,  "  for  sharing  the  joy  I  feel 
at  this  occurrence.  Nagato  is  the  most  bitter  enemy  of 
our  great  Hieyas ;  so  that  it  is  a  great  glory  for  me  to 
have  delivered  him  from  this  detested  foe.  Nagato  will 
be  executed  to-morrow,  at  noon,  in  the  precincts  of  the 
fortress ;  and  I  shall  send  his  head  to  Hieyas." 

Fatkoura  had  strength  not  to  cry  out.  She  went  back 
to  Tika.  She  had  learned  enough.  Her  pallor  was  alarm- 
ing, but  she  was  calm.  She  pressed  the  sword  against  her 
flesh.  It  hurt  her,  but  it  calmed  her. 

"  Return,  I  entreat  you,  mistress,"  said  Tika.  "  If  we 
should  be  discovered,  our  purpose  would  be  suspected,  and 
we  should  be  thrown  into  prison." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Fatkoura ;  "  but  it  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  me  to  know  in  what  part  of  the  palace 


THE   USURPER.  207 

Nagato  lies.  His  captor  means  to  kill  him ;  he  is  con- 
demned to  a  disgraceful  death.  If  I  cannot  save  him,  I 
can  at  least  give  him  the  means  to  die  nobly." 

"  I  can  pass  unobserved,"  said  Tika ;  "  I  can  talk  with 
the  servants  without  arousing  suspicion.  I  will  contrive 
to  find  out  what  you  want  to  know." 

Fatkoura  returned  to  the  palace,  and  fell  upon  her 
cushions,  depressed  and  almost  unconscious.  Tika  was 
absent  a  long  time.  When  she  came  back,  her  mistress 
was  still  in  the  same  place,  motionless. 

"  Well,  Tika  1 "  she  cried,  as  soon  as  she  saw  the 
girl. 

"  I  know  where  he  is,  mistress ;  I  have  seen  the  pavil- 
ion where  he  lies.  I  can  guide  you  thither." 

"  Come  !  "  said  Fatkoura,  rising  to  her  feet. 

"Are  you  mad?"  cried  Tika.  "It  is  broad  daylight 
still.  We  must  wait  for  night." 

"  True,"  said  Fatkoura  ;  "  let  us  wait." 

She  sank  back.  Until  evening  she  remained  without 
moving  or  speaking,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  same  spot  on 
the  floor.  When  it  was  quite  dark,  she  rose  and  said, 
"  Come ! "  Tika  made  no  objection,  and  they  set  off. 
They  traversed  the  gardens  once  more,  skirted  other 
houses  and  courtyards.  The  girl  found  her  way  by  look- 
ing from  time  to  time  at  the  great  tower,  upon  which  a 
lantern  burned. 

"You  see  that  small  house  with  two  roofs,  outlined 
clear  against  the  sky  ?  It  is  there." 

"The  window  is  lighted,"  said  Fatkoura.  "Is  he 
there?  Is  it  indeed  possible?  Conquered,  captive,  about 
to  die  !  " 

They  went  on. 

"  Are  there  soldiers  there  ? "  asked  Fatkoura,  in  a  low 
voice. 


208  THE    USURPER. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  said  Tika  ;  "  I  see  no  one." 

"  If  I  cannot  speak  to  him,  I  will  throw  the  sword 
through  that  open  window." 

They  walked  on,  and  down  a  slight  slope.  All  at  otice 
Fatkoura  felt  herself  clasped  by  a  strong  arm,  which  held 
her  back. 

"Another  step,  and  you  would  have  fallen  into  a  deep 
ditch,  which  lies  just  beneath  your  feet,"  said  a  voice. 
Fatkoura  recognized  the  Prince  of  Tosa. 

"  All  is  over,"  she  muttered. 

He  still  held  her ;  she  made  desperate  efforts  to  release 
herself  from  his  grasp,  but  could  not  succeed. 

"  Is  it  thus  you  thank  me  for  saving  your  life  ?  "  said 
he.  "  Luckily,  I  was  forewarned  of  the  walk  you  meant 
to  take  to-night,  and  I  followed  you,  to  preserve  you  from 
danger.  Do  you  suppose  that  your  every  word  and  move- 
ment are  not  faithfully  reported  to  me  1  Do  you  suppose 
that  I  did  not  know  your  mad  plan  to  deliver  your  lover, 
or  provide  him  with  the  means  to  escape  my  vengeance  V 

"  Release  me,  wretch  !  "  groaned  Fatkoura,  struggling. 

"  No,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  you  shall  remain  in  my 
embrace.  Your  touch  enchants  me.  I  am  determined  to 
love  you,  whether  you  will  or  no.  Still,  I  will  make  one 
last  attempt  to  win  your  affection.  Give  me  your  love, 
and  I  will  let  you  carry  Nagato  the  sword  which  you  stole 
from  one  of  my  soldiers." 

"  That  offer  is  quite  worthy  of  you ! "  said  Fatkoura, 
with  disdain. 

"  You  refuse  1 " 

"  The  Princess  of  Nagato  will  never  dishonor  her 
name." 

"  Then  you  must  give  up  that  weapon,"  said  the  Prince, 
himself  drawing  it  from  Fatkoura's  bosom.  "  You  might 
escape  me  by  death,  which  would  distress  me  sorely. 


THE   USURPER.  209 

Consider  my  offer ;  you  have  until  to-morrow  to  decide. 
Up  to  the  hour  of  the  execution,  at  which  you  will  be  pres- 
ent, it  will  be  in  your  power  to  procure  your  husband  a 
more  easy  death." 

The  Prince  then  led  her  back  to  the  palace,  where  he 
left  her.  She  was  so  overwhelmed  by  terror  and  despair 
that  it  seemed  to  her  she  no  longer  existed.  She  fell  into 
a  troubled  sleep  ;  but  all  the  hideous  creations  of  her  fever- 
ish dreams  were  less  horrible  than  the  reality.  When  she 
waked,  her  first  thought  stopped  the  beating  of  her  heart, 
and  bathed  her  brow  in  cold  perspiration. 

The  Prince  of  Tosa  sent  to  know  her  decision,  and  for 
what  form  of  death  the  Prince  of  Nagato  was  to  prepare. 

"  Say  to  Tosa,"  haughtily  replied  the  Princess,  "  that 
he  may  cease  to  insult  me  by  feigning  to  believe  that  I 
could  tarnish  Nagato's  name  by  committing  an  act  of 
infamy." 

She  was  then  informed  that  the  execution  would  take 
place  before  her  windows,  just  as  the  sun  began  to  sink 
towards  the  west. 

"  That  odious  lord  thinks,  perhaps,"  said  Fatkoura,  when 
she  was  once  more  alone  with  Tika,  "  that  I  shall  survive 
the  death  of  him  who  is  dearer  to  me  than  my  own  life. 
He  thinks  that  the  blow  which  strikes  him  before  my 
very  eyes  will  not  kill  me  too.  He  little  knows  a  woman's 
heart." 

•Tika,  confounded,  said  nothing.  Sitting  at  the  feet  of 
her  mistress,  her  tears  flowed  silently.  People  came  and 
went  outside  the  house,  the  gravel  crackling  under  the 
many  feet.  Fatkoura  approached  the  window,  and  peered 
through  the  blind. 

Upright  posts  had  been  planted  around  the  bare  space 
extending  before  the  palace  front.  Men,  mounted  on 
ladders,  beat  the  ends  of  these  posts  with  hammers,  to 

14 


210  THE   USURPER. 

drive  them  into  the  ground.  Then  they  brought  chests 
of  black  lacquer  with  silver  corners,  and  took  from  them 
white  silk  hangings,  which  were  fastened  to  the  posts  in 
such  a  way  as  to  enclose  the  square  in  a  wall  of  silk. 
Mats  were  spread  on  the  ground  ;  a  pure  white  one  with  a 
red  fringe  in  the  centre ;  upon  this  mat  the  condemned 
man  was  to  sit.  A  folding-chair  was  placed  beneath 
Fatkoura's  window  for  the  Prince  of  Tosa,  who  desired  to 
witness  the  execution. 

The  miserable  young  woman  paced  her  chamber  in  a 
fever ;  she  moved  away  from  the  window,  then  returned 
to  it  against  her  will.  Her  teeth  chattered ;  a  sort  of 
terrible  impatience  took  possession  of  her ;  she  was  afraid 
to  wait. 

Soldiers  entered  the  square ;  then  came  Samurais,  the 
vassals  of  the  Prince  of  Tosa.  The  latter  gathered  in 
groups,  and  with  one  hand  on  their  swords,  talked  in 
under-tones,  blaming  the  conduct  of  their  lord. 

"  To  refuse  the  hari-kiri  to  one  of  the  noblest  among 
the  sovereign  princes  of  Japan  !  I  cannot  understand 
the  sentence,"  said  one. 

"  It  is  unheard  of,"  said  another,  "  even  when  it  is  a 
question  of  simple  Samurais  like  us." 

"  He  wants  to  send  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  head  to 
Hieyas." 

"If  the  Prince  had  administered  justice  to  himself,  the 
corpse's  head  might  have  been  cut  off  secretly,  without 
dishonor  to  the  memory  of  the  noble  victim." 

"  The  lord  of  Tosa  undoubtedly  has  some  reason  to 
hate  Nagato." 

"  Never  mind  !  Hatred  does  not  excuse  injustice." 

When  the  hour  for  the  execution  arrived,  the  blinds 
were  rolled  up  in  Fatkoura's  apartment. 

The    distracted    young   woman   fled   to    the    farthest 


THE    USURPER.  211 

corner  of  the  palace  ;  she  hid  her  head  in  the  folds  of  a 
satin  curtain,  that  she  might  be  blind  and  deaf,  and 
might  stifle  the  sound  of  her  sobs.  But  all  at  once  she 
rose,  and  wiped  her  eyes. 

"  Come,  Tika  ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  it  is  not  thus  that 
Iwakura's  wife  should  act;  I  must  restrain  my  grief. 
Help  me  to  that  window  !  " 

When  she  appeared,  leaning  upon  Tika,  deep  silence 
reigned  among  the  spectators,  —  a  silence  full  of  respect 
and  compassion.  The  Prince  of  Tosa  arrived  at  the  same 
moment.  He  raised  his  eyes  to  her ;  but  she  let  fall  upon 
him  a  look  so  charged  with  hate  and  scorn  that  his  head 
sank  ;  and  seating  himself  upon  the  folding-chair,  he  gave 
a  sign  for  the  prisoner  to  be  brought  in.  The  latter  came 
forward  nonchalantly,  with  a  disdainful  smile  upon  his 
lips.  His  chains  had  been  removed,  and  he  toyed  with  his 
fan.  Two  executioners  walked  behind  him,  bare-legged, 
dressed  in  black  tunics  confined  at  the  waist  by  a  belt,  in 
which  was  a  long  sword.  He  stepped  upon  the  white 
mat  which  was  to  be  reddened  with  his  blood  a  few  mo- 
ments later ;  then  he  raised  his  head.  Fatkoura  felt  a 
strange  thrill.  The  man  who  stood  before  her  was  not 
the  Prince  of  Nagato.  The  gaze  of  the  enamoured  girl, 
which  had  lingered  so  often  and  so  long  upon  the  features 
of  the  beloved,  could  not  be  deceived  even  by  a  resem- 
blance which  cheated  the  whole  world.  She  did  not 
hesitate  an  instant.  She  did  not  see  the  brilliant  eye, 
or  the  melancholy  smile,  or  the  haughty  brow  of  him  who 
filled  her  heart. 

"  I  knew  that  he  could  not  be  conquered  and  hu- 
miliated," she  said  to  herself,  seized  by  a  wild  joy,  which 
she  with  difficulty  disguised. 

The  prisoner's  doom  was  read  aloud.  He  was  con- 
demned to  have  his  hands,  and  then  his  head,  hewn  off. 


212  THE   USURPER. 

"  The  infamy  with  which  you  would  brand  me  does  but 
dishonor  you,"  exclaimed  the  prisoner.  "  My  hands  have 
never  committed  any  but  noble  deeds,  and  do  not  de- 
serve to  be  severed  from  the  arms  which  guided  them. 
But  invent  whatever  torments  you  please,  torture  me  as 
you  will,  I  shall  remain  a  prince,  and  you  sink  to  the 
rank  of  an  executioner.  I  fought  with  all  my  strength 
against  the  enemies  of  our  legitimate  lord  ;  you  betrayed 
him  for  another,  who  betrayed  him  too,  and  you  craftily 
attacked  my  kingdom  when  there  was  no  ground  for  war 
between  us.  You  wanted  my  head  to  sell  it  to  Hieyas 
for  a  good  price ;  the  dishonor  is  yours.  What  do  I  care 
for  your  ridiculous  sentence  !  " 

"Who  is  this  man  who  speaks  so  boldly1?"  thought 
Fatkoura. 

The  Samurais  approved  the  prisoner's  words ;  they 
declared  their  dissatisfaction  to  the  Prince  of  Tosa. 

"  Do  not  refuse  him  the  death  of  a  noble,"  they  said ; 
"  he  has  done  nothing  to  merit  such  severity." 

Tosa's  soul  was  filled  with  rage. 

"My  vengeance  is  not  sufficient,"  said  he,  gnashing  his 
teeth  ;  "  I  wish  I  could  think  of  something  still  more 
dreadful." 

"But  you  can  think  of  nothing,"  said  the  prisoner, 
laughing ;  "  you  always  lacked  imagination.  Do  you  re- 
collect, when  you  followed  me  in  the  merry  pranks  which 
I  invented  ?  You  never  could  originate  anything ;  but 
your  brain  next  day  would  rehearse  our  inventions  of  the 
day  before." 

"  Enough  ! "  shouted  Tosa ;  "  I  will  tear  off  your  flesh 
with  pincers,  and  pour  boiling  pitch  into  your  wounds." 

"  That  is  only  an  improvement  on  the  moxas  invented 
by  physicians.  Try  again  ;  that 's  a  trifle." 

"  I  cannot  explain  that  man's  heroic  conduct,"  thought 


THE    USURPER.  213 

Fatkoura ;  "  he  knows  that  he  is  taken  for  another,  and 
he  carries  on  an  imposture  which  leads  him  to  a  sure  and 
frightful  death." 

She  longed  to  proclaim  the  truth,  —  to  say  that  this 
man  was  not  the  Prince  of  Nagato  ;  but  she  thought 
that  no  one  would  believe  her.  Besides,  as  he  was  silent 
himself,  he  must  have  grave  reasons  for  acting  as  he  did. 

"  I  swear  to  avenge  you  in  the  most  startling  fashion," 
she  cried  aloud.  "  It  is  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  bride  who 
takes  the  oath  ;  and  she  will  keep  it." 

"  Thanks,  divine  Princess ! "  said  the  prisoner  ;  "  you  are 
the  only  cause  I  have  to  regret  my  life.  Tell  my  master 
that  I  died  cheerfully  for  him,  seeing  a  proof  of  our  su- 
periority and  our  future  glory  in  the  scarce-glutted  wrath 
of  my  jailer." 

"  You  shall  speak  no  more,"  exclaimed  the  Prince  of 
Tosa,  with  a  sign  to  the  executioner. 

Sado's  head  was  severed  at  a  single  blow.  A  torrent 
of  blood  deluged  the  white  mat,  and  the  body  fell. 
Fatkoura  could  not  repress  a  shriek  of  horror. 

The  Samurais  turned  away  their  heads  with  a  frown, 
and  silently  retired,  bowing  to  the  Prince  of  Tosa.  The 
latter,  filled  with  shame  and  anger,  shut  himself  up  in 
his  palace. 

That  very  night  a  messenger,  bearing  a  bloody  head, 
wrapped  in  red  silk  and  contained  in  a  straw  sack,  left 
the  castle  of  Tosa. 


214  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A  TOMB. 

E  news  of  the  victory  gained  at  Soumiossi  by  Gen- 
eral  Harounaga  was  swiftly  conveyed  to  Osaka. 
Yodogimi  herself  announced  it  to  Fide-Yori  with  raptur- 
ous joy ;  nor  did  she  disguise  the  pride  which  her  lover's 
triumph  caused  her.  But  some  peasants,  coming  from 
Soumiossi,  related  the  details  of  the  battle  ;  and  the  Prince 
of  Nagato's  name  was  universally  substituted  for  that  of 
Harounaga.  Yodogimi  forbade  the  circulation  of  such 
a  slander  under  penalty  of  severe  punishment ;  she  lost 
her  temper,  and  wearied  her  son  with  fierce  recrimina- 
tions. Fide-Yori  let  her  rave,  loudly  praising  Harounaga, 
and  quietly  thanking  his  faithful  friend  for  his  untiring 
devotion. 

Unluckily  other  and  sad  tidings  soon  effaced  the  joy 
caused  by  this  first  victory.  Hieyas  did  not  execute  any 
of  the  movements  anticipated ;  he  did  not  attack  Osaka 
on  the  south.  General  Signenari  was  therefore  inactive 
in  the  Island  of  Awadsi,  and  yet  no  one  dared  recall  him 
thence ;  nor  did  he  make  any  attempt  to  break  through 
the  lines  which  barred  the  Island  of  Nipon.  His  army, 
divided  into  small  detachments,  came  by  sea,  landed  at 
different  points  on  the  coast  near  Osaka ;  then,  by  night, 
surprised  and  carried  a  position. 

Attiska,  Hieyas'  general,  soon  took  possession  of  a  vil- 


THE    USURPER.  215 

lage  near  the  capital.  This  news  spread  through  Osaka, 
and  terror  ran  riot.  The  Shogun's  soldiers  were  mas- 
sacred. At  the  moment  of  attack,  their  leader,  Oussouda, 
was  absent ;  he  was  revelling  in  a  suburban  tea-house. 

General  Sanada  -  Sayemon  -  Yoke  -  Moura  was  anxious 
to  attack  the  victors  at  once,  and  if  possible  dislodge 
them  from  the  position  they  had  won.  Fide-Yori  begged 
him  to  do  nothing  of  the  sort. 

"  Your  army  is  not  large  enough  to  lay  siege  to  a  vil- 
lage," said  he  ;  "  and  if  by  any  mishap  you  were  defeated, 
the  city  would  be  left  defenceless.  Recall  the  troops 
which  you  sent  to  Yamashiro,  and  until  their  arrival  let 
us  be  content  to  defend  Osaka." 

Yoke-Moura  reluctantly  obeyed ;  but  he  employed 
skilful  spies  to  watch  the  enemy's  movements.  Soon 
the  troops  came  back  from  Yamashiro.  A  conflict  was 
imminent.  But  now  Yoke-Moura  refused  to  quit  the  city 
or  to  give  battle. 

He  no  longer  left  the  fortress ;  he  paced  to  and  fro  day 
and  night,  restless  and  uneasy,  apparently  seeking  for 
something.  At  night  especially,  accompanied  only  by  his 
son  Daiske,  a  lad  of  sixteen,  he  wandered  incessantly 
along  the  outer  wall. 

The  sentinels,  who  saw  him  pass  and  repass  with  his 
son,  carrying  a  lantern,  could  not  fathom  his  conduct,  and 
thought  that  the  General  had  gone  mad.  Every  now 
and  then  Yoke-Moura  would  fall  on  his  knees  and  press 
his  ear  to  the  ground.  Daiske  held  his  breath.  Once, 
the  General  sprang  up  hastily,  greatly  agitated. 

"Is  it  the  blood  buzzing  in  my  ears?"  he  cried;  "I 
thought  I  heard  something.  Listen,  my  son,  and  see  if 
I  was  mistaken." 

The  boy  knelt  in  his  turn,  and  laid  his  ear  to  the 
ground. 


216  THE   USURPER. 

"  Father,"  said  he,  "  I  distinctly  hear  distant  blows, 
—  muffled,  but  regular." 

The  General  listened  again. 

"  Yes,  yes !  "  said  he ;  "I  hear  them  very  plainly  too  ; 
they  are  the  strokes  of  a  pick  against  the  earth.  It  is 
there  !  We  have  them  now ;  we  are  saved  from  a  terrible 
danger ! " 

"  What  is  it,  father  1 "  asked  Daiske. 

"  What  is  it  1  Hieyas'  soldiers  are  digging  an  under- 
ground passage,  which  leads  from  their  camp,  passes  below 
the  city,  and  the  moat,  and  will  open  here." 

"  Is  it  possible  ? "  cried  Daiske. 

"  Fortunately  a  spy  warned  me  betimes  of  the  work 
which  they  had  in  hand  ;  but  no  one  knew  where  the 
mouth  of  the  tunnel  was  to  be.  If  I  had  left  the  castle, 
as  Fide-Yori  wished,  we  should  have  been  lost." 

"It  was  high  time  to  discover  the  point  they  had 
chosen  for  invading  the  fortress,"  said  Daiske,  who  was 
still  listening;  "they  are  not  far  off." 

"  They  have  one  day's  labor  more,"  said  Yoke-Moura. 
"  Now  I  know  where  they  are,  I  will  watch  them.  But 
follow  me,  my  son;  I  would  confide  to  you  alone  the 
delicate  mission  which  must  now  be  executed." 

The  General  returned  to  the  pavilion  which  he  occupied 
in  the  castle  grounds.  He  wrote  a  long  letter  to  the 
commander  of  the  troops  returned  from  Yamashiro,  whose 
name  was  Aroufza,  and  who  was  a  brother  of .  Harou- 
naga.  He  gave  this  officer  all  the  necessary  instructions 
for  the  next  day's  battle.  When  he  had  done,  he  called 
a  peasant,  who  was  waiting  in  the  next  room. 

"This  fellow  knows  the  place  where  the  tunnel  begins," 
said  Yoke-Moura  to  his  son.  "  When  the  moment  has 
come,  he  will  lead '  the  army  thither.  You  will  go  with 
him.  Try  not  to  be  seen  by  any  one.  Carry  this  letter 


THE    USURPER.  217 

to  Aroufza,  and  tell  him  that  he  must  carry  out  my  orders 
exactly,  and  allow  himself  to  be  guided  by  this  man.  Be 
prudent,  be  adroit,  my  boy!  It  is  easy  to  reach  Aroufza's 
camp ;  but  remember  that  you  must  get  there  unseen,  that 
you  may  not  rouse  the  suspicions  of  the  spies  whom  Hieyas 
doubtless  has  in  our  midst.  As  soon  as  you  arrive,  send 
me  a  messenger." 

"I  will  start  at  once,  under  cover  of  darkness,"  said 
Daiske.  "  In  a  few  hours,  father,  you  shall  hear  from  me." 

The  young  man  then  set  off  with  the  spy. 

At  daybreak  Yoke-Moura  proceeded  to  pay  his  respects 
to  the  Shogun.  Fide-Yori  received  him  coldly.  He 
was  displeased  with  the  General,  not  understanding  his 
inaction. 

"  Yoke  Moura/'  said  he,  "-my  confidence  in  your  great 
valor  and  your  devotion  to  my  person  alone  prevent 
me  from  ordering  you  to  make  an  immediate  attack. 
Here  are  three  whole  days  lost.  What  are  you  about1? 
Why  delay  so  long  1 " 

"  I  could  not  begin  until  I  had  found  something  which  I 
was  seeking,"  said  Yoke-Moura. 

"  What  do  you  mean  1 "  exclaimed  the  Shogun,  seized 
by  a  dreadful  fear ;  and  in  his  turn  he  wondered  if  the 
General's  mind  was  affected.  He  examined  him ;  but  the 
warrior's  face  expressed  a  cheerful  tranquillity. 

"  I  have  indeed  heard,"  continued  Fide-Yori,  "  that  for 
some  time  you  have  been  roaming  about,  day  and  night, 
like  a  lunatic." 

"  I  am  resting  now,"  said  the  General ;  "  I  have  found 
what  I  was  looking  for." 

The  Shogun  bowed  his  head.  "  Decidedly/'  he  thought, 
"he  is  mad.'* 

But  Yoke-Moura  answered  his  thought.  "Wait  till 
to-morrow  before  you  judge  me,"  said  he;  "and  do  not 


218  THE    USURPER. 

be  uneasy,  master,  if  you  hear  a  noise  to-night."  With 
these  words,  he  withdi-ew  to  issue  orders  to  his  soldiers. 
He  sent  two  thousand  men  out  of  the  city,  to  encamp 
upon  a  slight  eminence  in  sight  of  the  enemy. 

"  He  is  preparing  for  the  attack,"  said  the  people  of 
Osaka ;  and  they  swarmed  over  the  hills,  to  the  towers 
of  pagodas,  and  all  high  places.  Fide-Yori  himself, 
with  a  few  courtiers,  climbed  to  the  topmost  story  of 
the  great  Goldfish  tower,  in  the  centre  of  the  fortress. 
From  there  he  could  see  Aroufza's  troops  in  the  plain, 
about  eight  thousand  strong;  and  farther  away,  betrayed 
by  the  flashing  of  their  weapons  and  of  their  armor,  the 
enemy,  encamped  near  a  small  wood.  In  the  direction 
of  the  sea,  in  the  bay,  the  war  squadron  was  taking  in 
stores ;  nearer  at  hand,  the  city  streets,  intersected  by  in- 
numerable canals,  like  azure  ribbons,  were  filled  with  an 
anxious  crowd.  All  labor  was  suspended  ;  every  one  was 
waiting  for  what  was  to  come.  The  troops  never  budged. 
Fide-Yori  grew  tired  of  looking ;  a  secret  irritation  began 
to  rise  within  him.  He  asked  for  Yoke-Moura. 

"  The  General  is  nowhere  to  be  found,"  was  the  answer. 
"  His  men  are  under  arms,  ready  to  start  at  the  first 
signal ;  but  up  to  the  present  moment  only  two  thousand 
troops  have  left  the  fortress." 

Finally,  towards  evening,  the  enemy  made  a  move- 
ment, and  advanced  towards  the  city.  Instantly  the 
soldiers  posted  on  the  hill  by  Yoke-Moura  rushed  furi- 
ously down.  A  few  shots  were  fired.  The  fight  began. 
The  enemy  were  superior  in  numbers.  At  the  first  shock 
the  Shogun's  men  were  driven  back. 

"  Why  does  not  Aroufza  move  1  '*'  said  the  Shogun. 
"  Is  there  a  traitor  in  the  camp  ?  I  really  cannot  under- 
stand the  matter." 

Hurried  footsteps  were  now  heard  in  the  tower,  and  in 


THE    USURPER.  219 

a  moment  Yoke-Moura  appeared  upon  the  platform.  He 
held  in  his  arms  a  great  truss  of  rice-straw.  The  men 
who  followed  him  carried  brushwood.  The  General  hur- 
riedly thrust  aside  the  courtiers,  and  even  the  Shogun, 
built  an  enormous  pile,  and  set  fire  to  it.  The  flame  soon 
rose,  clear  and  bright.  Its  light  illumined  the  tower,  and 
hid  the  plain,  now  dimmed  by  twilight. 

Yoke-Moura,  leaning  over  the  balustrade,  shielded  his 
eyes  with  his  hands,  and  strove  to  pierce  the  darkness  with 
his  gaze  He  saw  that  Aroufza's  army  moved.  "  Good  !  " 
said  he ;  and  he  went  rapidly  down  the  stairs  without 
answering  the  many  questions  with  which  he  was  plied. 
He  took  up  his  post  at  some  distance  from'the  point  where 
the  tunnel  was  to  open.  It  was  finished ;  for  the  strokes 
of  the  pick  had  ceased  at  noon.  Only  a  thin  layer  of  earth 
was  left,  which  might  be  pierced  at  the  last  moment. 

At  nightfall  the  General  had  listened,  and  had  heard  the 
tread  of  feet.  The  enemy  had  entered  the  subterranean 
passage.  It  was  then  that  he  kindled  the  flame  upon  the 
tower.  At  that  signal  Aroufza  was  to  attack  the  enemy 
at  the  other  end  of  the  tunnel.  It  was  now  entirely 
dark.  Yoke-Moura  and  his  men  waited  in  the  most  pro- 
found silence.  At  last  slight  blows  were  heard.  They 
were  cautiously  dealt,  to  make  as  little  noise  as  possible. 
The  General  and  his  men,  motionless  in  the  shadow,  lis- 
tened eagerly. ,  They  heard  clods  of  earth  drop,  and  then 
the  heavy  breathing  of  the  laborers.  Soon  a  man  put  his 
head  and  shoulders  through  the  opening,  standing  out 
in  relief  in  shadow  more  intense  than  the  darkness  itself. 
He  stepped  forth,  and  another  followed.  No  one-  stirred. 
They  advanced  carefully,  looking  in  every  direction,  until 
about  fifty  had  appeared  ;  then  all  at  once,  with  ferocious 
cries,  the  watchers  rushed  upon  them.  They  tried  to 
fall  back  upon  the  tunnel. 


220  THE   USURPER. 

"  We  are  betrayed  !  "  they  shouted  to  their  comrades. 
"  Do  not  come  out !  Fly  !  " 

"Yes,  traitors,  your  plots  are  discovered,"  said  Yoke- 
Moura  ;  "  and  you  have  dug  your  own  tomb." 

All  those  who  had  issued  from  the  tunnel  were  slaugh- 
tered. The  shrieks  of  the  dying  filled  the  palace.  People 
ran  up  with  lights.  Fide-Yori  came  himself,  between  two 
lines  of  servants  bearing  torches. 

"  This  is  what  I  was  looking  for,  master,"  said  the  Gene- 
ral, showing  him  the  yawning  hole.  Do  you  think  now 
that  I  was  right  not  to  leave  the  fortress  1 " 

The  Shogun  was  dumb  with  surprise  at  the  sight  of  the 
'danger  he  had  run. 

"  Not  another  man  shall  leave  that  tunnel  alive  !  "  cried 
the  General. 

"  But  they  will  escape  at  the  other  end,"  said  Fide- 
Yori. 

"  You  were  surprised  just  now  at  Aroufza's  inaction  on 
the  plain.  He  was  waiting  for  the  best  part  of  the  hostile 
army  to  enter  this  passage,  that  he  might  close  the  door 
on  them." 

"  Then  they  are  lost !  "  said  the  Shogun.  "  Forgive  me, 
bravest  of  my  warriors,  for  having  doubted  you  one  mo- 
ment. But  why  did  you  not  tell  me  what  was  going  on  1 " 

"  Master,"  said  the  General,  "  there  are  spies  every- 
where :  they  are  in  the  fortress,  in  your  palace,  in  my 
chamber.  One  word  overheard,  and  they  were  warned. 
At  the  least  alarm,  the  bird  I  hoped  to  catch  would  have 
flown." 

The  enemy  had  now  ceased  coming  from  the  tunnel. 

"  They  fancy  they  can  escape,"  said  Yoke-Moura ;  "  they 
will  return  when  they  find  that  their  retreat  is  cut  off." 

Soon,  in  fact,  cries  of  distress  were  heard.  They  were 
so  heartrending  that  Fide-Yori  shuddered. 


THE   USURPER.  221 

"  Unhappy  wretches  !  "  he  muttered. 

Their  situation  was  horrible  indeed ;  in  that  narrow 
passage,  where  two  men  could  barely  move  abreast,  where 
it  was  hard  to  breathe,  those  desperate  soldiers,  mad  with 
fear,  pushed  and  crushed  each  other  in  the  darkness, 
frantic  fur  light  at  any  cost,  even  were  it  the  light  of 
night,  which  would  have  seemed  brilliant  to  them  in  com- 
parison with  that  ill-omened  gloom. 

A  terrible  shove  forced  several  men  out  of  the  tunnel, 
only  to  fall  upon  the  swords  of  the  enemy. 

Amid  their  shrieks  were  heard  confused  cries  :— 

"  Mercy  !  we  surrender." 

"Open!  let  us  out." 

"  No,"  said  Yoke-Moura ;  "  no  pity  for  such  traitors  as 
you.  I  repeat,  you  have  dug  your  own  tomb." 

The  General  ordered  stones  and  earth  to  be  brought,  to 
fill  up  the  opening. 

"  Desist,  I  entreat  you ! "  said  Fide-Yori,  pale  with  emo- 
tion; "those  cries  tear  my  heart.  They  only  ask  to  sur- 
render. Take  them  prisoners  ;  that  will  suffice." 

"  You  need  not  entreat  me,  master,"  said  Yoke-Moura ; 
"  your  wishes  are  my  commands.  Hollo  there ! "  he  added, 
"  stop  your  noise ;  you  are  pardoned ;  you  may  come  out." 

The  howls  were  redoubled.  It  was  impossible  to  get 
out.  The  frightful  crowding  had  suffocated  many  of  the 
men,  whose  corpses  blocked  the  mouth  of  the  passage ; 
they  formed  a,  solid  rampart,  increased  with  every  in- 
stant, and  impassable.  All  must  perish ;  their  struggles 
shook  the  ground ;  they  trod  one  another  down,  bit  one 
another ;  their  swords  pierced  each  the  other's  side ; 
their  armor  was  broken  with  their  bones ;  they  died 
amidst  the  blackest  darkness,  stifled  in  a  sepulchre  too 
narrow  for  their  bodies.  All  attempts  to  clear  away 
the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  were  vain. 


222  THE   USURPER. 

"  What  an  awful  thing  war  is  !  "  exclaimed  Fide-Yori, 
hastening  away,  entirely  overcome. 

Soon  the  cries  became  less  frequent ;  then  utter  silence 
was  restored. 

"  All  is  over,  they  are  all  dead,"  said  Yoke-Moura ; 
"  nothing  remains  but  to  close  up  the  tomb  !  " 

Five  thousand  men  had  perished  in  that  subterranean 
passage,  but  a  few  leagues  in  length ! 


THE   USURPER.  223 


CHAPTER  XX. 
THE    MESSENGERS. 

HIEYAS  had  himself  advanced  with  fifty  thousand 
men  to  within  a  few  leagues  of  Soumiossi.  He 
proceeded  thither  by  water,  keeping  off  the  coast,  lest  he 
should  be  seen  by  the  soldiers  of  Massa-Nori,  encamped 
upon  the  borders  of  the  province  of  Isse. 

All  the  defensive  plans  set  on  foot  by  Fide-Yori's  gen- 
erals were  promptly  made  known  to  Hieyas,  and  he  set 
his  wits  to  work  to  foil  the  schemes  of  his  opponents. 
He  let  them  blockade  the  Island  of  Nipon ;  and,  putting 
out  to  sea,  advanced  towards  their  lines,  landing  between 
Osaka  and  Kioto.  He  desired  to  lay  siege  to  Osaka  as 
soon  as  possible ;  for  the  capture  of  that  town  would  end 
the  war. 

Although  really  ill,  he  had  gone  thus  far  that  he  might 
be  at  the  very  centre  of  the  conflict,  his  feeble  nerves  not 
being  able  to  bear  a  state  of  suspense. 

It  was  he  who  had  planned  the  tunnel  under  the  city 
and  the  moat,  to  steal  an  entrance  into  the  fortress ;  he 
knew  it  to  be  impregnable  by  open  force,  and  thought  that 
this  bold  enterprise  might  succeed.  The  loss  of  the  two 
thousand  soldiers  captured  on  Dragon-fly  Island  annoyed 
him ;  but  General  Attiska's  conquest  of  a  village  very  near 
Osaka  consoled  him.  He  impatiently  awaited  the  result 
of  the  adventure,  sitting  in  his  tent  gazing  out  before  him 


224  THE    USURPER. 

at  the  ocean  -with  its  tossing  junks.  The  sea  was  very 
rough ;  a  gale  of  wind  blew  in  the  offing,  and  raised  high 
waves,  which  broke  in  foam  upon  the  shore.  It  was  bad 
for  small  boats  and  for  fishing-smacks. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato's  fleet  was  even  then  at  sea.  He 
stai'ted  from  Soumiossi,  intending  to  come  nearer  to  the 
point  occupied  by  the  enemy,  to  see  whether  they  mus- 
tered strong,  and  if  Hieyas  had  really  advanced  thus  far. 
Nagato  could  not  believe  it  to  be  so.  But  the  wind  rose, 
and  suddenly  became  furious. 

"  We  must  make  for  shore,  and  quickly  too,"  cried 
Raiden,  examining  the  horizon,  where  mountains  of  slate- 
colored  clouds  were  suddenly  upreared. 

"You  think  we  cannot  remain  at  seal"  asked  the 
Prince. 

"If  we  are  here  an  hour  hence,  we  shall  never  see 
land  again." 

"  Luckily  the  squall  blows  from  the  sea,"  said  ISTata, 
"  and  we  shall  be  driven  straight  on  shore." 

"  All  right,"  said  Nagato ;  "  all  the  better,  that  I  don't 
like  the  way  the  boat  dances.  Will  this  last  long  1 " 

"  Of  course,"  said  Raiden,  "  our  sails  may  help  us  a 
little  ;  but  we  shall  bob  about." 

"  The  wind  will  carry  us  along,"  said  Loo,  loading  him- 
self down  with  bundles  of  rope  and  chain,  to  make  himself 
heavier. 

The  sail  was  hoisted,  and  the  boat  began  to  speed  over 
thfc  waves ;  leaping  high  in  the  air,  then  plunging  down 
into  the  depths,  it  leaned  first  to  one  side,  then  to  the 
other,  the  sail  touching  the  water.  The  horizon  was  no 
longer  visible  on  either  hand,  but  only  a  succession  of  hills 
and  valleys,  which  rose  and  fell ;  sometimes  a  wave  broke 
into  the  boat  with  a  sharp  sound,  as  if  a  handful  of  stones 
had  been  thrown  in. 


THE   USURPER.  225 

Loo  was  stunned  by  the  force  of  the  wind,  which  never 
paused,  and  which  dashed  a  shower  of  foam  into  his 
face ;  he  again  felt  on  his  lips  the  salty  taste  which  he 
so  disliked  when  he  came  near  drowning. 

"  Hand  me  the  scoop,"  said  Nata ;  "  the  boat  is  full  of 
water." 

Loo  hunted  about  for  a  moment,  and  then  said :  "  I 
can't  find  it ;  I  see  nothing.  The  wind  blows  my  eye- 
lashes into  my  eyes." 

The  Prince  himself  picked  up  the  scoop,  and  handed  it 
to  the  sailor.  "  Are  we  very  far  from  land  still  ]  "  he  asked. 

Raiden  stood  upon  a  bench,  holding  to  the  mast,  and 
looked  across  the  waves.  "  No,  master,"  he  replied ;  "  we  're 
forging  ahead.  We  shall  be  there  in  a  few  moments." 

"And  the  other  boats'?"  said  Loo;  "they're  not  in 
sight." 

"  Oh,  I  can  see  them,"  said  Raiden.  "  Some  of  them 
are  close  in  shore ;  others  are  farther  off  than  we  are." 

"  Where  shall  we  land  1 "  asked  the  Prince.  "  Upon 
a  hostile  shore,  perhaps;  for  nowadays  Japan  is  like  a 
chess-board  :  the  white  squares  belong  to  Fide-Yori,  and 
the  red  ones  to  Hieyas." 

"  So  long  as  we  are  not  cast  on  the  rocks,  we  're  all 
right,"  said  Nata ;  "  the  Usurper  will  pay  no  attention  to 
poor  sailors  like  us." 

"  I  am  no  sailor,  —  not  I,"  said  Loo,  displaying  his 
sword.  "I  am  a  lord." 

The  sky  was  darkened ;  a  dull,  rumbling  sound  rolled 
around  the  horizon. 

"  My  patron  saint  is  beginning  to  talk  to  us,"  said 
Raiden.  "  Bear  to  the  left,  Nata,'1  he  added  ;  "  we  're 
steering  right  upon  a  reef.  More,  more  !  Look  out, 
Prince  !  Take  care,  Loo  !  We  've  caught  it  now ;  we  're 
in  for  it !  " 

15 


226  THE   USURPER. 

And  in  fact  the  storm  was  let  loose,  and  the  waves 
broke  madly  against  the  shore.  They  dashed  up  furi- 
ously ;  the  frothing  crests  were  blown  forward  ;  then  they 
poured  down  like  cataracts.  Others  ran  back,  leaving 
a  broad  sheet  of  white  foam  behind  them  on  the  sand. 
The  sail  was  quickly  lowered ;  the  mast  was  unshipped. 
They  were  forced  to  yield  their  boat  to  the  mercy  of  the 
waves.  But  it  seemed  impossible  that  the  boat  should 
fail  to  be  shattered  by  the  frightful  billows  which  struck 
blow  after  blow  upon  the  frail  bark,  breaking  against  it, 
and  now  and  again  dashing  directly  over  it. 

Fortunately,  they  approached  land  very  rapidly.  Raiden 
suddenly  sprang  into,  the  midst  of  the  tumultuous  waves. 
He  found  firm  footing,  and  pushed  the  boat  at  the  stern 
with  all  his  might.  Nata  jumped  overboard  too,  and 
pulled  at  the  chain.  Soon  the  keel  was  buried  deep  in 
the  sand,  and  the  crew  landed  hastily. 

"  How  terrible  the  sea  is  !  "  said  the  Prince  of  Nagato, 
when  he  was  safe  on  shore.  "  How  it  howls,  how  it  roars  ! 
What  despair,  what  frenz}r  urges  it  on !  Does  it  not  seem 
to  fly  the  pursuit  of  some  powerful  enemy  ?  It  is  indeed 
a  miracle  that  we  have  escaped." 

"  People  don't  always  escape,  unfortunately,"  said  Rai- 
den ;  "  it  devours  many  a  poor  sailor.  How  many  of  my 
comrades  lie  beneath  its  waves !  I  sometimes  think  I 
hear  them  in  the  storm ;  and  I  believe  that  it  is  with 
the  voice  of  shipwrecked  men  that  the  sea  laments  and 
groans." 

All  the  boats  had  now  landed  without  serious  mishap, 
although  some  were  partly  shattered  by  the  violence  with 
which  they  were  hurled  against  the  shore. 

"  Where  are  we  ?  "  said  the  Prince.  "  Let  us  try  to 
find  out." 

The  boats  were  drawn  as  far  as  possible  out  of  reach  of 


THE    USURPER.  227 

the  sea  and  the  party  left  the  smooth,  white  beach,  which 
stretched  as  far  as  eye  could  see. 

Above  the  low  dune  formed  by  the  drifted  sand  was  a 
broad  and  partially  cultivated  plain,  which  seemed  to  be 
deserted.  A  few  huts  were  in  sight,  towards  which  they 
went.  They  called  aloud,  but  no  one  answered. 

"  The  noise  of  the  wind  has  deafened  us,"  said  Loo ;  and 
he  began  to  thump  on  the  doors  with  fists  and  feet.  The 
huts  were  empty. 

"  It  seems  we  are  in  the  table  of  Hieyas  on  the  chess- 
board which  you  just  mentioned,"  said  Raiden ;  "  the 
peasants  would  not  fly  from  the  Shogun's  troops." 

"  If  we  are  near  the  enemy,  so  much  the  better,"  said 
the  Prince,  "  since  we  are  in  search  of  them." 

"  How  black  it  is  !  "  cried  Loo.  "  It  seems  like 
night." 

"  The  storm  is  at  hand,"  said  Nata.  "  Those  huts  are 
just  what  we  want,  to  shelter  us." 

The  rain  began  to  fall  in  torrents ;  the  few  trees  scat- 
tered over  the  plain  bent  to  the  ground,  with  all  their 
branches  blown  one  way  ;  and  the  thunder  rattled.  The 
sailors  hurried  into  the  deserted  huts  ;  they  were  ex- 
hausted, and  lying  down,  fell  fast  asleep. 

Meantime  the  Prince,  leaning  against  a  door,  stared 
out  at  the  furious  rain,  as  it  gullied  the  earth,  or  was 
broken  by  the  wind  and  blown  away  in  fine  spray.  But 
Iwakura  saw  nothing.  His  thoughts  were  in  the  palace 
at  Kioto,  on  the  veranda,  amid  flowers.  He  saw  the  Queen 
come  slowly  down  the  stairs,  seeking  him  with  her  eyes, 
half  smiling  at  him.  He  began  to  feel  an  intolerable  pang 
at  this  long  separation.  He  thought  that  he  might  die 
without  seeing  her  again. 

Two  men  now  appeared  on  the  plain.  Lashed  by  the 
tempest,  they  hurried  along  the  path.  Nagato  instinct- 


228  THE    USURPER. 

ively  hid  behind  the  door,  and  watched  them.  They  were 
dressed  like  peasants;  but  the  wind,  which  lifted  their 
clothes  in  a  lawless  fashion,  showed  that  they  were  armed 
with  swords.  They  walked  straight  towards  the  huts. 
The  Prince  roused  Raiden  and  Nata,  and  showed  them 
these  armed  peasants,  who  still  advanced,  blinded  by  the 
rain. 

"You  see,"  said  he,  "in  time  of  war, fishermen  are  not 
what  they  appear  to  be ;  neither  are  peasants." 

"  Those  fellows  have  exchanged  their  spades  for  swords," 
said  Raiden.  "  Where  are  they  going]  Are  they  friends 
or  foes  1 " 

"We  shall  soon  know,"  said  Nagato ;  "for  we  will 
take  them  prisoners." 

The  two  men  came  forward  with  heads  down,  to  keep 
the  rain  from  their  faces ;  they  supposed  the  huts  to  be 
empty,  and  ran  to  them  for  shelter. 

"  Come,  come  in  !  Come  and  dry  yourselves  ! "  cried 
Eaiden,  when  they  were  close  at  hand.  "  The  rain  re- 
bounds from  your  skulls  like  the  water  of  a  cataract  from 
a  rock." 

On  hearing  his  voice,  the  new  arrivals  started  back,  and 
took  to  their  heels.  They  were  soon  overtaken. 

"  What  does  this  mean  ? "  said  Raiden.  "  Why  do  you 
run  away  so  quickly  1  Have  you  anything  to  conceal  1 " 

"You  must  let  us  see  what  it  is,"  said  Nata,  with  his 
good-natured  laugh. 

All  the  sailors  had  waked  ;  they  collected  in  one  hut. 
The  two  men  were  brought  before  the  Prince.  Each 
wore  on  his  head  a  mushroom-shaped  hat,  which  hid  half 
his  face ;  on  the  shoulders  of  each  was  a  rude  cloak  of 
unbraided  straw,  which  made  him  look  like  a  thatched 
roof.  They  dripped  with  rain. 

"  Who  are  you  1 "  asked  Nagato. 


THE   USURPER.  229 

They  looked  at  the  Prince  with  a  bewildered,  simple 
air;  one  of  them  stammered  out  something  unintelli- 
gible. 

"  Speak  more  distinctly,"  said  Nagato.  "  Who  are 
youl" 

Then  the  two  cried  together  :  "  Peasants." 

Loo,  who  was  sitting  on  the  ground,  chin  in  hand, 
watching  them,  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Peasants  !  "  said  he ;  "  monkeys  you  'd  better  say. 
Your  assumed  simplicity  ill  conceals  your  malice." 

"  Why  did  you  try  to  run  away  1 "  said  the  Prince. 

"  I  was  afraid,"  said  one,  kicking  the  ground  and 
scratching  his  head. 

"  I  was  afraid,"  repeated  the  other. 

"  You  are  not  peasants,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  why  have 
you  two  swords  hidden  in  your  belt  1 " 

"  Because  —  there  is  war  about ;  it  is  well  to  be 
armed." 

"  There  is  war  about,"  repeated  the  other. 

"  Come  !  "  cried  Raiden,  "  speak  the  truth.  We  are 
friends  of  Hieyas ;  if  you  belong  to  us,  you  have  nothing 
to  fear." 

One  of  the  men  cast  a  rapid  glance  at  Raiden. 

"  Strip  them  of  their  arms  and  search  them,"  said  the 
Prince  to  the  sailor. 

"  By  all  the  Kamis,  but  you  have  fine  swords !  "  ex- 
claimed Raiden ;  "  they  must  have  cost  you  dear.  You 
must  be  very  rich  peasants." 

"  We  took  them  from  some  dead  soldiers." 

"  Then  you  are  thieves  ! "  exclaimed  Loo. 

"  What 's  that  1 "  said  the  sailor,  snatching  a  paper 
carefully  hidden  under  the  robe  of  one  of  the  strangers. 

"  As  we  can't  escape,  we  may  as  well  own  the  truth ; 
we  are  messengers,"  said  one  man,  dropping  his  stupid 


230  THE   USURPER. 

look.  "  That  is  a  letter  written  to  Hieyas  by  General 
Attiska." 

"  Very  good,"  said  Eaiden,  handing  the  letter  to  Nagato. 

"  If  you  really  serve  the  same  master  as  we,"  said  the 
other  messenger,  "  do  not  keep  us  any  longer ;  let  us 
finish  our  errand." 

"  When  it  stops  raining,"  said  Loo. 

The  Prince  opened  the  little  paper  bag  closed  at  one 
end  with  rice  paste,  and  took  out  the  letter.  It  read  as 
follows  :  — 

"  General  Attiska  falls  prostrate  before  the  illustrious  and  all- 
powerful  Minamoto  Hieyas.  Happy  days  are  followed  by  wretched 
days  ;  and  I  have  the  shame  and  sorrow  to  announce  a  disaster.  The 
tunnel  scheme,  so  carefully  elaborated  by  your  lofty  intellect,  was 
carried  out.  With  vast  pains,  thousands  of  soldiers,  working  night 
and  day,  finally  finished  the  work  ;  we  were  sure  of  success.  But 
Marisiten,  the  God  of  Battles,  was  cruel  to  us.  By  I  know  not  what 
treachery,  Yoke-Moura  was  forewarned  ;  and  I  scarcely  dare  con- 
fess to  you  that  five  thousand  heroes  met  their  death  in  the  narrow 
passage  which  we  dug,  while  the  enemy  lost  not  a  single  man. 
We  have  regained  the  position  in  the  village  lost  for  a  time .  Noth- 
ing therefore  is  yet  compromised,  and  I  hope  soon  to  be  able  to  send 
you  the  news  of  a  brilliant  victory. 

"  Written  beneath  the  walls  of  Osaka,  this  fifth  day  of  the  seventh 
moon,  in  the  first  year  of  the  Shogun  Fide-Tadda." 

"  A  fine  piece  of  news  indeed,  my  friends  !  "  said  the 
Prince,  who  read  the  letter  aloud  ;  "  and  I  will  take  it  to 
Hieyas  myself.  I  am  anxious  to  enter  his  camp  —  to 
insinuate  myself  into  his  very  tent." 

"  Then  you  are  not  friends  of  Hieyas,  as  you  said  1 " 
asked  one  of  the  messengers. 

"  No,  we  are  no  friends  of  his  !  "  said  Nagato  ;  "  but 
what  difference  does  that  make  to  you,  so  long  as  I 
agree  to  carry  the  message  in  your  place  1 " 

"  That 's  true !  After  all,  it 's  all  one  to  me  ;  the  more 
so  as  the  bearer  of  ill  tidings  is  apt  to  be  ill  received." 


THE   USURPER.  231 

"  Where  is  Hieyas'  camp  1 " 

"  Half-an-hour's  journey  from  here." 

"  In  which  direction  1 " 

"  To  the  left,  on  the  borders  of  the  plain ;  he  is  quar- 
tered in  a  wood." 

"  Hieyas  is  there  in  person  1 " 

"  He  is." 

"  Is  there  a  password  to  enter  the  camp  1 " 

"  There  is  !  "  said  the  messenger,  reluctantly. 

"  You  know  it  1 " 

"  Of  course ;  but  I  ought  not  to  reveal  it." 

"  Then  Hieyas  won't  get  the  message." 

"  That 's  so !  You  have  fully  made  up  your  mind  to 
keep  us  1  " 

"  Entirely  ! "  said  Nagato ;  "  and  to  do  you  no  harm 
if  you  speak  the  truth  ;  to  kill  you  if  you  deceive  us." 

"  Well,  then,  the  password  is  :  Mikawa." 

"  The  name  of  the  province  over  which  Hieyas  is 
ruler,"  said  Nagato. 

"  Exactly  !  Moreover  you  must  show  the  sentinels  three 
chrysanthemum  leaves  engraved  on  an  iron  plate." 

The  speaker  drew  a  tiny  iron  plate  from  his  girdle,  and 
gave  it  to  the  Prince. 

"  Is  that  all  ? "  asked  Nagato ;  "  have  you  told  the 
truth  1 " 

"  I  swear  I  have.  Besides,  our  lives  are  in  your  hands, 
and  answer  for  our  sincerity." 

"Rest  yourselves,  then;  but  give  us  your  hats  and 
straw  cloaks." 

The  messengers  obeyed ;  then  lay  down  to  sleep  in  one 
corner  of  the  hut. 

"  You  will  go  with  me,  Raiden,"  said  the  Prince. 

The  sailor,  proud  to  be  chosen,  held  his  head  erect. 

"  And  1 1 "  said  Loo,  with  a  wry  face. 


232  THE    USURPER. 

"You  will  stay  with  Nata,"  said  the  Prince.  "Later 
on,  perhaps  this  very  night,  I  shall  need  you  all." 

Loo  moved  away,  disappointed. 

They  waited  until  evening ;  then  the  Prince  and 
Eaiden,  disguised  as  peasants  in  their  turn,  proceeded 
towards  Hieyas'  camp.  The  sailors  watched  their  lead- 
er's departure  with  some  uneasiness. 

"  May  your  enterprise  succeed  !  "  they  cried. 

"  May  Marisiten  guard  you  ! " 

The  rain  had  stopped,  but  the  wind  still  blew  ;  it  passed 
with  a  silky  hiss  over  the  grass,  laid  by  the  storm  ;  heavy 
clouds  drifted  rapidly  across  the  clear  sky,  covering  and 
then  revealing  the  slender  crescent  moon.  The  forest 
stood  out  on  the  horizon  at  the  end  of  the  plain. 

"Have  you  no  directions  to  give  me,  master1?"  asked 
Raiden,  when  they  had  nearly  reached  the  wood. 

"  Be  observant,  and  remember  all  you  see,"  said  the 
Prince.  "  I  want  to  find  out  whether  the  enemy's  camp 
is  open  to  attack  at  any  point ;  if  so,  I  will  summon  Harou- 
naga,  who  is  still  at  Soumiossi,  and  we  will  try  to  beat 
Hieyas.  At  any  rate,  we  will  see  if  we  can't  discover 
some  of  his  schemes." 

The  sentinels  had  already  noted  the  arrivals,  and 
shouted,  "  Who  goes  there  1" 

"  Messengers  !  "  answered  Raiden. 

"  Where  do  you  come  from  ] " 

"From  Osaka;  sent  by  General  Attiska." 

"  Do  you  know  the  password  1 " 

"  Mikawa !  "  cried  the  sailor. 

A  soldier  approached  with  a  lantern.  Then  the  Prince 
drew  from  his  girdle  the  iron  plate  upon  which  were 
graven  the  chrysanthemum-leaves. 

"  Come  along ! "  said  the  soldier ;  "  the  master  is  most 
impatient  to  see  you." 


THE   USURPER.  233 

They  went  farther  into  the  wood. 

A  few  lanterns  swung  from  the  -trees,  sheltered  from 
the  wind  by  a  couple  of  shields.  Iwakura  and  Raiden 
walked  over  straw  brought  from  the  tents  by  people 
going  to  and  fro. 

At  intervals  stood  a  soldier  bearing  a  long  lance,  a 
quiver  on  his  back,  erect  and  motionless ;  behind  the 
trees,  in  the  half-open  tents,  sat  other  soldiers  drinking 
or  sleeping.  Beyond,  all  was  thick  darkness. 

Hieyas'  tent  was  pitched  in  the  centre  of  an  open  glade, 
which  had  been  cleared  into  a  square  space,  hung  round' 
with  scarlet  draperies  suspended  from  pikes.  Over  the 
tent  floated  a  large  banner,  streaming  and  fluttering  in 
the  wind ;  two  archers  leaned  against  either  side  of  the 
opening.  The  messengers  were  ushered  in. 

Hieyas  sat  upon  a  folding-chair.  He  seemed  bowed  by 
age,  bent  nearly  double,  his  head  resting  on  his  breast, 
his  lower  lip  hanging,  his  eyes  pale  and  moist.  From  his 
attitude  and  dull  look  no  one  would  have  guessed  at  the 
powerful  genius  and  tenacious  will  within  that  weak  and 
hideous  form.  Yet  the  spirit  watched,  clear  and  bright, 
wearing  out  the  body,  and  enduring  fatigue  with  heroic 
indifference. 

"  News  from  Osaka  ? "  he  said.    "  Speak  !  be  quick  !  " 

The  letter  was  handed  to  him,  and  he  opened  it  hurriedly. 

The  wind  blew  into  the  tent,  making  the  flame  flicker 
in  the  lanterns  as  they  hung  from  the  central  tent-pole. 
The  forest  rustled  angrily,  and  the  sound  of  the  sea  break- 
ing on  the  beach  was  plainly  heard. 

Hieyas  showed  nothing  of  the  emotion  which  he  felt  on 
reading  General  Attiska's  letter.  He  beckoned  to  several 
officers  standing  in  the  tent,  and  handed  them  the  despatch. 
Then  he  turned  to  the  messengers,  saying  :  "  Did  Attiska 
give  you  a  verbal  message  besides  this  letter  1 " 


234  THE   USURPER. 

Before  Raiden  could  answer,  several  men  entered  the 
tent. 

"  Master  !  "  cried  a  soldier,  "  here  are  more  messengers, 
all  coming  at  the  same  moment  from  different  points." 

"  Well !  well !  "  said  Hieyas,  "  let  them  come  forward." 

One  of  the  new-comers  advanced  and  knelt.  He  car- 
ried something  under  his  cloak. 

"  Illustrious  lord,"  he  said,  in  a  firm,  triumphant  tone, 
"  I  come  from  the  castle  of  Tosa.  I  bring  you,  in  my 
master's  name,  the  head  of  the  Prince  of  Nagato." 

This  time  Hieyas  could  not  hide  his  emotion.  His  lips 
trembled ;  he  extended  his  quivering  hands  with  senile 
eagerness. 

Raiden  gave  a  start  when  he  heard  the  messenger's 
words ;  but  the  Prince,  with  a  sign,  ordered  him  to  be 
silent. 

"  I  'm  curious  to  see  that  head,"  muttered  the  sailor. 

The  man  uncovered  a  bag  of  braided  straw,  closed  at 
one  end  by  a  rope,  and  untied  it. 

Hieyas  directed  a  lantern  to  be  brought,  saying  :  "  Is  it 
really  true?  is  it  really  true1?  I  cannot  believe  it." 

The  envoy  drew  the  head  from  the  bag.  It  was  rolled 
in  a  piece  of  red  silk,  which  seemed  dyed  with  blood. 
The  wrapper  was  removed ;  then  Hieyas  took  the  head  in 
his  hands  and  rested  it  on  his  knees.  A  man  standing 
beside  him  threw  the  full  light  of  the  lantern  upon  it. 

The  head  was  so  pale  that  it  seemed  made  of  marble ; 
the  jet-black  hair,  knotted  on  top  of  the  skull,  shone  with 
bluish  lustre ;  there  was  a  slight  frown  upon  the  brow ; 
the  eyes  were  closed ;  a  mocking  smile  contracted  the 
discolored  lips. 

"  If  the  Prince  were  not  by  my  side,  I  should  swear 
that  that  head  was  cut  from  his  shoulders,"  said  the 
astonished  liaiden. 


THE   USURPER.  235 

Nagato,  painfully  moved,  seized  the  sailor's  hand  in  a 
nervous  grasp. 

"My  poor  Sado  !"  he  muttered;  "loyal  unto  death,  as 
you  promised ! " 

Hieyas,  his  head  bent,  gazed  greedily  at  the  head  upon 
his  knees. 

"  It  is  he  !  it  is  he  ! "  said  the  Usurper ;  "  he  is  van- 
quished at  last,  he  is  dead,  the  man  who  lavished  so  many 
insults  upon  me,  and  who  always  escaped  my  vengeance ! 
Yes,  there  you  lie,  motionless  and  frightful  to  look  upon, 
you  whom  every  woman's  eye  followed  with  a  sigh,  whom 
every  man  secretly  envied  and  strove  to  imitate.  You 
are  even  paler  than  your  wont ;  and  despite  the  scornful 
expression  which  your  features  still  retain,  you  can  no 
longer  scorn  any  one ;  your  glance  will  no  longer  cross 
mine,  like  the  meeting  of  hostile  swords;  you  can  no 
longer  stand  in  my  path.  You  were  a  noble  soul,  a  great 
mind,  —  I  acknowledge  that ;  unfortunately  you  did  not 
see  how  disinterested  my  projects  were,  and  how  useful 
to  the  country.  You  devoted  yourself  to  a  lost  cause, 
and  I  was  forced  to  crush  you." 

"  Indeed  ! "  muttered  Raiden. 

The  messenger  then  described  the  Prince's  capture  and 
execution. 

"  His  arms  were  taken  from  him  !  "  exclaimed  Hieyas ; 
"  he  was  not  allowed  to  kill  himself  1 " 

"  No,  your  lordship,  he  was  beheaded  alive ;  and  up  to 
the  moment  that  his  head  fell,  he  never  ceased  to  insult 
his  victor." 

"  Tosa  is  a  zealous  servant,"  said  Hieyas,  with  a  shade 
of  irony. 

"  He  is  an  infamous  wretch,"  murmured  the  Prince  of 
Nagato,  "  and  he  shall  bitterly  expiate  his  crime.  I  will 
avenge  you,  brave  Sado ! " 


236  TEE   USURPER. 

"  How  cold  death  is  !  "  said  Hieyas,  his  hands  growing 
chill  at  the  touch  of  that  pale  flesh ;  he  turned,  and  gave 
Sado's  head  to  one  of  the  officers  standing  near  him. 
"  Tosa  may  ask  me  what  he  will,"  he  added,  addressing 
the  envoy ;  "  I  can  refuse  him  nothing.  But  there  was 
another  messenger;  what  tidings  does  he  bring1?" 

The  second  messenger  advanced,  and  prostrated  him- 
self in  his  turn. 

"  Yet  another  piece  of  good  news,  master,"  said  he ; 
"  your  soldiers  have  taken  Fusimi,  and  are  about  to  begin 
the  attack  on  Kioto." 

At  these  words  Nagato,  who  still  held  Raiden's  hand, 
pressed  it  so  violently  that  the  poor  fellow  almost 
screamed. 

"  Attack  Kioto  !  What  does  that  mean  ?  "  whispered 
the  Prince,  with  horror. 

"If  that  is  so,"  said  Hieyas,  rubbing  his  hands,  "the 
war  will  soon  be  over.  The  Mikado  once  in  our  power, 
Osaka  must  fall  of  its  own  accord." 

"We  must  be  off,"  said  the  Prince,  in  Raiden's  ear. 

"  Hieyas  is  just  dismissing  the  messengers,"  said 
Raiden. 

As  they  raised  the  drapery  which  enclosed  the  tent, 
a  red  glow  lighted  up  the  woods. 

"  What  is  that  1 "  asked  Hieyas. 

Several  officers  left  the  tent  to  inquire.  A  vast  flame 
arose  in  the  direction  of  the  sea ;  the  wind  fanned  it,  and 
brought  the  sound  of  crackling,  snapping  wood. 

"  What  can  be  burning  on  that  shore?  "  was  the  cry. 
"  There  are  no  villages  that  way." 

"  It  is  some  boats,"  said  a  man,  who  came  running  in. 

"  Our  boats  !  "  sighed  Raiden ;  "  well,  that 's  nice  !  " 

"  No  one  knows  where  they  came  from  ;  all  at  once 
they  were  seen  stranded  on  the  beach." 


THE    USURPER.  237 

"Are  there  many  of  theml" 

"  Some  fifty.  We  went  up  to  them  ;  they  were  empty. 
Those  large  boats,  well  equipped,  struck  us  as  suspicious." 

"We  thought  of  Soumiossi." 

"  So  we  set  fire  to  them  ;  now  they  're  blazing  brightly." 

"  What  a  pity  !  what  a  pity  !  "  said  Raiden  ;  "  our  fine 
boats  !  What  shall  we  do  ]  " 

"  Silence  !  "  said  the  Prince  ;  "  let  us  try  to  get  away." 

"  I  'm  afraid  it  won't  be  so  easy  as  to  enter." 

They  saw  that  they  were  free  to  roam  about  the  camp, 
no  one  heeding  them  ;  and  they  moved  off  in  search  of 
an  outlet. 

"  Kioto  attacked,  and  I  am  here  !  "  said  the  Prince, 
a  prey  to  strange  agitation.  "  Our  fleet  is  destroyed.  I 
need  two  hundred  horses  ;  where  am  I  to  get  them  1 " 

"  There  are  plenty  of  them  here,"  said  Raiden  ;  "  but 
how  are  we  to  get  hold  of  them  1  " 

"We  will  come  back  "with  our  comrades,"  said  the 
Prince ;  "  see  how  the  horses  are  fastened." 

"  Merely  by  the  bridle  to  the  trunk  of  a  tree." 

"  They  are  tied  behind  the  tents  in  groups  of  five  or 
six,  as  well  as  I  can  see  in  the  darkness." 

"Yes,  master." 

"  We  must  capture  them." 

"  We  will  do  whatever  you  command,"  said  Raiden, 
without  objecting  that  it  was  impossible. 

They  had  reached  the  edge  of  the  woods,  at  the  point 
where  they  had  entered  the  camp.  The  sentinels  were 
being  changed,  and  the  man  who  had  let  them  in  recog- 
nized them. 

"  Going  already  ] "  he  said. 

"  Yes,"  said  Raiden ;  "  we  carry  orders." 

"  Good  luck  to  you  ! "  said  the  soldier ;  and  he  signed 
to  his  substitute  to  let  them  pass. 


238  THE    USURPER. 

"  "Well !  they  almost  drive  us  out,"  said  Raiden,  when 
they  were  in  the  plain. 

The  Prince  walked  quickly ;  they  soon  reached  the 
huts.  All  the  sailors  were  awake,  and  in  great  dismay. 
They  ran  to  meet  the  Prince. 

"  Master,  master  ! "  they  shouted,  "  our  boats  are 
burned.  What  is  to  become  of  us  ] " 

"  It  was  that  wretch  of  a  Hieyas  who  did  this,"  cried 
Loo;  "but  I  will  be  revenged  on  him." 

"  Have  you  your  weapons  ?  "  asked  Nagato. 

"Certainly;  we  have  our  swords  and  our  guns." 

"  Well,  you  must  now  show  me  that  your  courage  is 
worthy  of  my  confidence.  We  must  perform  an  act  of 
heroism  which  may  cost  us  our  lives.  We  must  enter  the 
camp  of  Hieyas,  jump  upon  his  horses,  and  ride  towards 
Kioto.  If  we  are  not  dead,  we  shall  be  in  the  sacred  city 
before  sunrise." 

"  Very  good  !  "  said  Loo  ;  "  let  us  enter  Hieyas'  camp. 
I  have  an  idea  of  my  own." 

"  We  will  follow  you,"  said  the  sailors  ;  "  our  lives  are 
yours." 

"  The  camp  is  but  ill  guarded,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  the 
undertaking  may  succeed.  Darkness  will  conceal  us  from 
the  eyes  of  our  enemies ;  the  noise  of  the  wind  in  the 
trees  will  prevent  them  from  hearing  the  sound  of  our 
footsteps.  One  thing  only  distresses  me ;  that  is,  that 
we  have  not  time  to  steal  away  the  head  of  the  brave 
man  who  died  for  me,  that  we  may  bury  it  with  the 
respect  it  deserves." 

"  What  head  1 "  whispered  Loo,  to  Raiden. 

"  I  '11  tell  you  all  I  know  about  it,"  whispered  back  the 
sailor. 

"  Let  us  divide,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  we  have  more 
chance  of  passing  unnoticed,  singly.  If  we  can  meet  again, 


THE   USURPER.  239 

it  will  be  on  the  other  side  of  the  wood.  May  the  Kamis 
protect  us." 

The  sailors  dispersed.  The  darkness  was  profound,  and 
they  disappeared  abruptly. 

Loo  lingered  behind  with  Raiden,  to  question  him  in 
regard  to  what  he  had  seen  in  the  camp.  When  he  had 
heard  enough,  the  lad  escaped,  and  ran  before.  He  had 
a  plan, —  indeed  he  had  two,  since  he  had  learned  the  story 
of  the  severed  head  :  he  meant  to  carry  off  that  head,  and 
then  to  be  avenged  for  the  firing  of  the  boats.  It  was 
child's  play  for  him  to  slip  into  the  camp  unseen.  He  had 
the  soft  tread  of  a  cat;  he  could  leap,  glide,  and  creep  on 
all  fours,  without  stirring  a  blade  of  grass ;  he  would  not 
have  waked  a  watch-dog.  The  lights  in  the  camp  guided 
him ;  he  ran  straight  towards  the  edge  of  the  wood ;  he 
wanted  to  be  the  first  to  enter.  He  was  almost  upon  the 
sentinel  before  he  saw  him  ;  but  he  fell  flat  on  his  face. 
The  man  did  not  see  him ;  as  soon  as  the  guard  had 
gone,  the  boy  passed  on. 

"  Here  I  am,''  said  he,  squeezing  through  a  thicket ; 
"the  worst  is  over  now." 

The  wind  still  blew ;  vivid  hashes  of  lightning  now 
and  then  filled  the  night. 

"  Ah,  God  of  Storms  ! "  said  Loo,  as  he  ran  along  on 
all  fours  under  the  trees,  "  you  're  behaving  very  badly. 
Strike  your  gongs  as  much  as  you  like,  but  put  out  your 
lantern.  As  for  you,  Futeu,  Spirit  of  the  Wind,  blow, 
blow  !  harder  still ! " 

With  the  exception  of  the  sentinels,  the  whole  camp 
slept ;  when  the  wind  died  away,  at  intervals  the  regular 
breathing  and  occasional  snores  of  the  men  could  be  heard. 
Loo  took  his  way,  by  Raiden's  directions,  to  Hieyas'  tent. 
He  reached  it,  and  recognized  the  red  draperies  which 
formed  a  wall  around  the  tent.  Two  archers  stood 


240  THE   USURPER. 

before  the  entrance.     Above  them,  on  posts,  hung  lan- 
terns. 

"  Yes,  yes  !  stare  out  to  sea  at  the  dying  flames  of  our 
burning  boats,"  said  Loo;  "that  will  keep  you  from 
seeing  me." 

.He  slipped  under  the  hangings,  flattening  himself 
against  the  earth ;  but  to  reach  the  tent,  he  had  still  a 
large,  light,  open  space  to  cross.  He  hesitated  a  moment, 
and  cast  a  glance  at  the  archers. 

"  Their  backs  are  towards  me,"  said  he ;  "  besides,  I 
believe  they  are  asleep  at  their  posts." 

He  rose,  and  swiftly  gained  the  edge  of  the  canvas  ; 
then  he  glided  in.  A  blue  lantern  lit  up  the  interior  of 
the  tent.  Hieyas,  stretched  on  a  silken  mattress,  the 
upper  part  of  his  body  raised  by  a  number  of  cushions, 
slept  a  troubled  sleep ;  sweat  stood  in  beads  upon  his 
brow ;  he  breathed  heavily. 

Loo  raised  his  eyes  to  the  aged  Regent,  and  made  a  gri- 
mace at  him  ;  then  he  looked  about  the  tent.  On  a  mat, 
not  far  from  his  master,  slept  a  servant.  A  writing-case 
and  a  few  cups  of  rare  porcelain  were  placed  on  a  low  stool 
of  black  wood  ;  in  one  corner,  a  complete  suit  of  mail,  sink- 
ing under  its  own  weight,  produced  the  effect  of  a  man 
chopped  up  into  pieces.  A  large  red  lacquer  chest,  upon 
which  were  raised  in  relief  the  three  chrysanthemum- 
leaves,  Hieyas'  crest,  caught  the  light  and  glittered. 
Against  this  box  rested  the  straw  sack  containing  Sado's 
head.  Hieyas  desired  to  keep  it  till  the  next  day,  to 
display  it  to  all  his  soldiers. 

Loo  guessed  that  the  head  must  be  in  this  bag ;  he 
crawled  to  it  and  opened  it ;  but  at  that  instant  Hieyas 
awoke.  He  uttered  several  groans  of  distress,  wiped 
his  forehead,  and  took  a  .little  of  a  drink  prepared 
for  him.  The  boy  hid  behind  the  chest,  and  held  his 


THE    USURPER.  241 

breath.  Soon  the  old  man  fell  back  upon  his  cushions 
and  dozed  again.  Then  Loo  drew  the  head  from  the  bag, 
and  made  off  with  it.  He  was  hardly  out  of  the  tent 
when  shouts  of  alarm  sounded  on  every  hand.  The 
neighing  of  horses  and  the  shock  of  arms  were  heard 
above  the  continual  rustling  of  the  trees  in  the  wind. 

Hieyas  waked  a  second  time  ;  and  rising  all  breathless 
from  the  sudden  start,  drew  aside  the  hangings  which 
shut  in  the  tent.  A  flash  of  lightning  dazzled  him  ;  then 
he  saw  nothing  but  intense  darkness.  But  soon,  by  the 
light  of  a  fresh  flash,  longer  and  more  brilliant  than  the 
first,  he  saw,  with  awful  horror,  the  man  whom  he  sup- 
posed dead,  whose  lifeless  head  he  had  held  in  his  hands 
but  a  short  time  since,  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  sword  in 
hand,  pass  by  on  a  horse  which  seemed  to  Hieyas  to 
make  no  sound. 

His  enfeebled  nerves,  his  mind  overwrought  by  fever, 
prevented  him  from  reacting  against  this  superstitious 
terror ;  his  strength  of  mind  forsook  him  ;  he  uttered  a 
frightful  cry.  "  A  ghost  !  a  ghost !  "  he  yelled,  spreading 
fear  throughout  the  entire  camp.  Then  he  fell  heavily 
to  the  ground,  unconscious.  He  was  thought  to  be  dead. 

Some  of  his  officers  also  recognized  the  Prince  of  Na- 
gato, and  no  less  alarmed  than  Hieyas,  put  the  climax  to 
the  confusion  in  the  ranks. 

The  cry,  "  A  ghost !  "  ran  from  mouth  to  mouth.  The 
soldiers,  who  had  come  out  at  the  shout  of  alarm,  fled 
precipitately  back  to  their  tents. 

Some  one,  of  more  heroic  mould,  proposed  examining 
the  bag,  to  see  if  the  head  was  still  there.  When  he 
found  that  it  had  vanished,  this  unbeliever  set  up  a 
frightful  howl.  Confusion  was  at  its  height ;  all  the 
men  fell  on  their  faces,  loudly  invoking  the  Kamis,  or 
Buddha,  according  to  their  special  form  of  faith. 

16 


242  THE    USURPER. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  and  his  men  were  much  sur- 
prised at  the  greeting  they  received ;  but  they  took  advan- 
tage of  it,  and  traversed  the  wood  undisturbed.  When 
they  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  grove,  they  waited  for 
one  another ;  then  counted  their  numbers.  Not  one  was 
missing ;  all  were  on  horseback. 

"  Truly,  the  Kamis  protect  us,"  said  the  sailors ;  "  who 
would  have  thought  the  expedition  would  turn  out  so 
well ! " 

"And  that  we  should  be  taken  for  ghosts  ! " 

They  were  about  to  resume  their  journey,  when  Raiden 
suddenly  exclaimed  :  "  But  where  is  Loo  ? " 

"That's  true,"  said  the  Prince;  "he's  the  only  one 
who  has  not  returned." 

"  And  yet  he  started  first,"  said  Raiden. 

They  waited  a  few  moments. 

"  Unfortunately,"  said  the  Prince,  "  the  duty  which 
calls  me  suffers  no  delay.  We  must  go ;  but  it  is  with 
pain  that  I  abandon  that  faithful  boy." 

Abandon  Loo,  the  delight  of  all,  —  he  who  reminded  the 
fathers  of  their  children,  —  the  scornful  little  hero,  some- 
what cruel,  but  fearless,  and  always  gay  !  They  set  out 
with  aching  hearts  ;  all  sighed. 

"  What  can  have  happened  to  him  1  Perhaps  he  has 
lost  his  way  in  the  darkness,"  said  Raiden,  looking 
constantly  back. 

They  had  gone  on  for  perhaps  ten  minutes,  when  those 
who  were  behind  thought  they  heard  a  hurried  gallop. 
They  stopped  and  listened.  A  horse  was  indeed  coming ; 
shouts  of  laughter  were  soon  mingled  with  the  hoof-beats. 
It  was  Loo. 

"  Raiden  !  "  he  shouted,  "  come  and  catch  me  ;  I  shall 
fall.  I  can't  stand  it  any  longer ;  I  've  laughed  too 
hard  ? " 


THE   USURPER.  243 

Raiden  hastened  back  to  meet  the  boy. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  "  so  here  you  are  !  Why  did  you 
lag  behind  so  long  1  You  gave  us  a  great  fright." 

"  Because  I  had  a  great  deal  to  do,"  said  Loo  ;  "you 
got  through  your  work  before  I  did." 

"  What  have  you  been  about  1 " 

"  Take  that  first,"  said  Loo,  offering  Raiden  the  severed 
head  ;  "  it 's  as  heavy  as  lead." 

"  What !  so  you  contrived  to  get  hold  of  that  ?  " 

"Yes,"  said  Loo,  who  kept  looking  behind  him ;  "and 
they  think  down  yonder  that  it  started  off  on  its  travels 
alone  ;  and  so  they  're  all  half  crazed  with  fear." 

They  now  put  their  horses  to  the  gallop,  to  catch  up 
with  the  Prince  and  his  companions. 

"  Has  the  boy  come  back  1 "  asked  Nagato. 

"  Yes,  master;  and  he  brings  you  the  head  of  the  man 
who  looked  so  much  like  you,"  cried  Raiden,  with  a  sort 
of  paternal  pride. 

"  That 's  not  all  I  did,"  said  Loo,  still  looking  back ; 
"  see  the  pink  light  yonder  1  Should  n't  you  think  the 
sun  was  rising  1 " 

"  The  sky  is  really  illumined,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  I 
should  say  it  was  the  reflection  from  some  fire.'r 

"  That 's  just  what  it  is,"  said  Loo,  clapping  his  hands ; 
"  the  woods  are  burning." 

"  You  set  them  on  fire  !  "  cried  Raiden. 

"  Did  I  not  swear  to  avenge  our  fine  boats,  which  lie  in 
ashes  on  the  beach  1 "  said  Loo,  with  much  dignity. 

"  How  did  you  manage  it "?  Tell  us  all  about  it,"  said 
the  sailor. 

"  Ah !  "  cried  Loo,  "  I  never  laughed  so  much  in  my 
life  !  I  had  no  sooner  stolen  the  martyr's  head  than  I 
heard  shouts  and  cries  in  all  directions.  Then  I  looked 
for  a  horse  to  be  ready  for  flight.  Still,  I  had  no  idea  of 


244  THE   USURPER. 

running  away  yet.  When  I  had  mounted  the  beast  of 
my  choice,  I  broke  off  a  pitchy  bough,  and  lit  it  at  a 
lantern,  which  I  unhooked  and  threw  into  the  straw  of 
the  horse's  litter.  That  straw  kindled  at  once,  and  the 
wind  fanned  my  torch  to  a  flame.  I  started  off,  setting 
fire  to  everything  as  I  went.  To  my  great  surprise  the 
soldiers,  instead  of  springing  upon  me  and  wringing  my 
neck,  fell  on  their  knees  when  they  saw  me,  stretched 
out  their  hands  to  me,  and  entreated  rne  to  spare  them  ; 
some  taking  me  for  Tatsi-Maki,  the  dragon  of  the  Ty- 
phoons, others  for  Marisiten,  fancying  that  my  horse  was 
the  wild  boar  upon  which  the  God  of  Battles  rides.  I 
nearly  split  my  sides  with  laughter;  and  the  more  I 
laughed  the  more  frightened  they  were.  So  I  came 
through  the  forest  at  my  ease,  firing  here  a  banner,  there 
a  dead  tree  or  a  bundle  of  fodder." 

"  I  never  could  have  believed  that  an  army  could  be 
so  alarmed  by  a  child  ! "  cried  Raiden,  laughing  heartily 
in  his  turn. 

"  If  you  had  seen  them,"  said  Loo,  "  how  they  stut- 
tered and  shook  !  And  well  they  might ;  for  every  one  of 
them  thought  that  a  ghost  had  stretched  out  his  arm 
and  waved  a  sword  at  Hieyas,  who  instantly  fell  dead." 

"Yes,"  said  Nata;  "they  took  us  for  a  legion  of 
ghosts." 

The  light  of  the  burning  forest  spread  across  the  sky 
to  the  zenith.  The  Prince  turned  his  head  and  gazed. 

"  Loo,"  said  he,  "  I  am  daily  thankful  that  I  brought 
you  with  me ;  you  have  the  daring  of  a  hero,  and  a  lion's 
heart  in  your  frail  body.  These  exploits  deserve  a  splen- 
did reward.  I  give  you  the  title  of  Samurai." 

On  hearing  this,  Loo  was  speechless  with  emotion.  He 
looked  at  Raiden,  as  he  ambled  along  by  his  side ;  then 
suddenly  threw  himself  into  his  arms. 


THE    USURPER.  245 

At  the  Prince's  order,  several  men  dismounted  and  dug 
a  grave  with  their  swords  by  the  roadside,  to  bury  the 
head  of  the  brave  Sado. 

"  We  will  come  and  fetch  it  later  on,  and  pay  it  fitting 
honors,"  said  the  Prince. 

Stones  were  piled  on  the  grave  when  it  had  been  filled 
up,  to  mark  it. 

"  Now,"  said  the  Prince,  "  let  us  hasten ;  we  must  be 
at  Kioto  before  day  dawns." 

They  set  off  at  a  gallop,  a  few  men  going  before  as  scouts. 

The  Prince  also  outrode  the  rest  of  his  party.  He 
wanted  to  be  alone,  to  hide  his  emotion  and  his  anxiety. 
He  had  not  dreamed ;  the  messenger  had  indeed  told 
Hieyas  that  the  attack  on  Kioto  was  about  to  begin. 
Attack  the  sacred  capital  of  the  Mikados  !  Lay  hands 
on  the  divine  person  of  the  Son  of  the  Gods  !  Nagato 
could  not  credit  such  sacrilege.  Moreover,  the  idea  that 
the  Kisaki  was  in  danger  overwhelmed  him.  She,  insulted 
in  her  sovereign  power  by  one  of  her  subjects,  alarmed  by 
battle-cries,  by  the  sound  of  war,  perhaps  constrained  to 
fly !  The  thought  put  him  into  a  frantic  rage.  He  was 
surprised  that  he  had  not  sprung  at  Hieyas'  throat,  to 
strangle  hirn  with  his  own  hands  when  he  spoke  of  Kioto. 

"  I  pitied  and  respected  his  age,"  thought  he  ;  "  does 
such  a  man  merit  pity?" 

And  yet,  amidst  these  feelings  of  anger  and  dismay,  he 
could  not  repress  a  sense  of  deep  joy.  To  be  near  her, 
to  see  her  again,  once  more  to  hear  that  voice,  of  whose 
accents  his  ears  were  ever  greedy  !  Was  it  possible  1 
His  bosom  swelled ;  a  smile  hovered  on  his  lips ;  he  saw 
only  her. 

"  It  is  Destiny  that  directs  me,"  he  said.  "  Fate  pre- 
vented me  from  going  far  from  Kioto  ;  a  presentiment 
warned  me  that  she  would  need  me." 


246  THE   USURPER. 

How  did  he  hope  to  defend  the  sacred  city  against 
forces  which  were  undoubtedly  large  1  He  could  not 
have  told  himself.  Yet  he  did  not  doubt  that  he  should 
triumph  over  his  adversaries,  however  many  they  might 
be.  There  are  sovereign  wills  which  rule  events,  which 
carry  away  the  combatants  in  battle,  exalt  their  courage, 
render  them  terrible.  The  Prince  of  ISTagato  felt  such  an 
irresistible  determination  within  his  breast.  To  save  her, 
he  felt  as  if  he  could  scatter  an  army  single-handed. 


THE   USURPER.  247 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

THE  KISAKI. 

TT^IOTO  was  only  five  leagues  distant  from  the  camp 
J— •  of  Hieyas ;  but  as  the  victorious  party  occupied  the 
side  towards  Fusimi,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  was  obliged  to 
take  a  roundabout  route,  by  the  shores  of  Lake  Biwa. 

Day  was  beginning  to  dawn  ;  darkness  still  covered 
the  earth.  But  sky  and  water  began  to  brighten ;  a  fine 
mist  hung  here  and  there. 

The  lake  is  shaped  like  the  musical  instrument  called 
a  biwa ;  it  stretches  behind  the  mountains  surrounding 
Kioto,  and  divides  them  from  the  town.  The  long  and 
narrow  part,  forming  the  handle  of  the  guitar,  branches 
out  into  a  river,  and,  describing  a  semicircle,  enters 
Kioto  from  the  south. 

By  the  orders  of  General  Sanada-Sayemon-Yoke-Moura, 
General  Yama-Kava  was  to  encamp  with  his  five  thousand 
men  on  the  shore  of  the  lake  at  the  foot  of  the  mountains; 
but  as  he  advanced,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  became  sure 
that  Yama-Kava  had  abandoned  the  position.  He  found 
traces  of  the  camp,  ashes  of  dead  fires,  and  holes  dug  for 
the  tent-poles. 

"  What  does  this  mean  1 "  he  thought.  "  If  the  General 
has  left  his  post,  danger  must  have  called  him  elsewhere. 
Perhaps  the  conflict  has  not  yet  begun ;  perhaps  all  is 
over,  and  I  have  come  too  late." 


248  THE   USURPER. 

At  this  idea  the  Prince,  a  prey  to  a  terrible  pang,  urged 
his  horse  towards  the  mountain,  and  hurried  up  a  steep 
and  almost  inaccessible  path.  If  he  succeeded  in  climb- 
ing the  slope,  he  could  reach  Kioto  in  a  few  moments, 
instead  of  wasting  several  hours  in  winding  along  the 
shores  of  the  lake  and  river. 

Loo  was  first  to  follow  in  his  master's  tracks.  All  the 
sailors  soon  imitated  his  example,  after  recalling  the  ad- 
vance-guard. With  great  difficulty  they  gained  the  crest 
of  the  hill ;  it  was  connected  by  a  slight  descent  with 
another  and  loftier  peak,  the  mountain  of  Oudji,  upon 
which  the  most  delicate  tea  is  grown. 

The  western  orchard,  the  scene  of  the  poetical  tourney 
presided  over  by  the  Kisaki,  lay  in  the  path  of  the  Prince. 
He  leaped  the  fence  and  crossed  the  orchard,  this  being 
the  shortest  way.  The  trees  were  loaded  with  fruit,  the 
over-burdened  boughs  bending  to  the  ground. 

The  Prince  paused  at  the  brink  of  the  terrace,  where 
the  city  lay  in  full  view,  just  at  the  spot  where  the  Queen 
had  approached  him  a  few  months  before,  and  spoken  to 
him  with  tears  in  her  eyes.  He  cast  a  rapid  glance  at 
Kioto.  From  various  points  rose  a  column  of  black 
smoke,  which  was  also  visible  within  the  precincts  of  the 
Dairi.  The  palace  and  city  must,  therefore,  have  been 
set  on  fire.  The  fortress  of  Nisio-Nosiro,  on  Wild  Goose 
Eiver,  was  besieged  ;  the  Knights  of  Heaven  were  doubt- 
less defending  it.  The  Mikado  must  have  taken  refuge 
behind  its  ramparts.  Farther  off,  on  the  other  side  of 
the  town,  a  fight  was  going  on  between  Yama-Kava's  men 
and  the  soldiers  of  Hieyas.  The  latter  were  almost 
masters  of  Kioto.  Yama-Kava  still  held  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  city ;  but  Hieyas'  banner  floated  from 
every  other  point. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato,  with  frowning  brow,  devoured 


THE    USURPER.  249 

the  scene  spread  out  at  his  feet.  He  bit  his  lips  till 
they  bled ;  full  of  wrath,  he  preserved  his  clearness  of 
judgment,  and  coolly  examined  the  situation. 

When  a  conflict  occurs  in  a  city,  the  combatants  are 
perforce  scattered.  The  plan  of  the  streets,  their  lack 
of  breadth,  necessitates  a  division  of  numbers.  The 
battle  is  parcelled  out ;  there  is  no  unity  of  movement ; 
each  street  and  square  has  its  individual  contest,  ignoring 
the  phases  of  those  close  by. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  instantly  saw  the  advantage  to 
be  gained  from  this  disposition  of  the  battle.  His  little 
troop,  nothing  on  the  plain,  where  its  weakness  would  be 
apparent,  might  produce  a  happy  effect  by  an  impetuous 
dash,  taking  the  enemy  unawares  in  the  rear,  and  possibly 
causing  confusion  in  the  ranks. 

The  Prince  decided  quickly,  uttered  a  shout  to  rally 
his  men,  who  had  managed  to  join  him  by  dint  of  much 
pains;  then  he  spurred  his  horse  down  the  opposite  slope 
of  the  high  hill,  and  cried  :  "  Follow  me  !  " 

The  descent  was  most  dangerous ;  but  the  energy  of  the 
men  seemed  to  be  communicated  to  their  steeds.  They 
reached  the  bottom  without  accident ;  then  plunged  with 
frightful  speed  into  the  street  most  crowded  with  soldiers. 

The  sound  made  by  the  sudden  tramp  of  horses'  hoofs 
upon  the  paved  road  was  tremendous.  The  soldiers 
turned,  saw  the  street  filled  with  cavalry,  and  with  the 
instinctive  dread  which  men  on  foot  feel  for  men  on 
horseback,  they  strove  to  keep  out  of  the  way ;  pushing 
and  stumbling  over  each  other,  in  an  attempt  to  reach 
a  cross  street.  The  riders  fired  a  few  shots,  which  only 
hastened  the  flight  of  the  pedestrians.  In  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye  the  street  was  emptied ;  and  the  fugitives  spread 
terror  as  they  ran,  supposing  that  they  were  trapped 
between  two  armies. 


250  THE   USURPER. 

The  street  entered  by  Nagato  was  very  long,  traversing 
almost  the  entire  town,  and  ending  in  a  small  square. 
At  the  other  extremity,  the  streets  opening  into  it  were 
occupied  by  Yama-K.ava's  soldiers.  Upon  the  square 
itself  the  enemy  had  centred  their  forces. 

The  conflict  had  but  just  begun.  Although  inferior  in 
numbers,  the  partisans  of  Fide-Yori  did  not  flinch.  At 
the  mouth  of  the  square  the  Prince  halted;  he  was 
master  of  the  street ;  it  was  important  to  keep  it. 

"  Let  twenty  men  defend  the  other  end  of  this  street," 
he  cried,  "  and  two  men  station  themselves  at  every  alley 
opening  into  it.  Now  we  must  let  Yama-Kava's  soldiers 
know  that  they  are  to  make  an  effort  to  join  us." 

Raiden  sprang  forward.  A  hailstorm  of  arrows  wrapped 
him  round ;  his  horse  fell ;  the  sailor  rose ;  he  was 
wounded ;  but  he  managed  to  reach  the  other  side  of 
the  square.  A  discharge  of  musketry  rattled,  and  picked 
off"  a  number  of  men.  An  empty  space  was  formed  in 
front  of  the  street  occupied  by  the  Prince ;  the  hostile 
troops  gathered  about  their  leaders,  to  devise  measures ; 
and  they  decided  to  abandon  the  square  and  fall  back 
upon  the  neighboring  streets.  They  executed  this  move- 
ment, which  was  almost  a  retreat. 

Nothing  was  easier  now  for  Yama-Kava's  men  than  to 
effect  a  junction  with  those  of  Nagato.  The  former 
crossed  the  square  in  double-quick  time,  and  gained  the 
conquered  street.  Soon  their  General  himself  appeared, 
on  horseback,  masked,  clad  in  his  armor  of  black  shell, 
lance  in  hand. 

"  It  is  the  lord  of  Nagato  ! "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  recog- 
nized the  Prince.  "  I  am  no  longer  amazed  to  see  the 
enemy  so  roughly  repulsed.  Victory  seems  to  be  your 
slave." 

"  If  it  be  true  that  I  have  her  in  my  chains,  may  she 


THE   USURPER.  251 

never  recover  her  liberty  !  "  said  the  Prince.  "  What 
is  going  on  here  1 "  he  added.  "  What  sacrilege,  what 
unprecedented  crime,  do  we  behold  1 " 

"  Incredible  indeed,"  said  the.  General.  "  Hieyas 
proposes  to  carry  off  the  Mikado,  and  burn  the  town." 

"  For  what  purpose?" 

"  I  do  not  know." 

"  I  think  I  can  guess,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  the  Mikado, 
once  in  his  power,  would  be  forced  to  proclaim  Hieyas 
Shogun ;  the  entire  nation  would  declare  itself  for  Hieyas, 
and  Fide-Yori  would  be  obliged  to  lay  down  his  arms." 

"  There  is  no  limit  to  that  man's  audacity  !  " 

"  Where  is  the  Mikado  now  ? "  asked  the  Prince. 

"  In  the  fortress  of  Nisio-Nosiro." 

"  So  I  supposed  ;  and  I  fancy  that  you  and  I  have  hit 
upon  the  same  plan  of  battle." 

"  You  honor  me,"  said  the  General. 

"  You  mean  to  spread  your  army,  I  fancy,  from  this 
street,  like  a  lake  becoming  a  river,  and  surround  the  foe. 
In  this  way  the  enemy  will  be  cut  off  from  the  shores  of 
the  Kamon-Gawa,  and  the  attack  on  the  fortress,  of  scanty 
numbers,  as  it  seems  to  me,  will  be  isolated.  You  will 
then  fall  back  upon  the  fortress  and  seek  shelter  within 
its  walls." 

"  That  was  indeed  my  intention,"  said  the  General ; 
"  but  without  your  help  I  fear  I  should  have  failed  to 
force  my  way  through  the  hostile  ranks." 

"Well,  now  lead  your  men  towards  the  fortress,  while 
I  hold  our  adversaries  here  as  long  as  possible." 

The  General  set  off.  The  soldiers  of  Hieyas  returned. 
The  nascent  panic  was  allayed.  From  every  lane  on  the 
left  they  attacked  the  street  which  separated  them  from 
the  river;  they  were  received  with  volleys  of  shot  and 
arrows.  They  retreated;  then  returned  to  the  charge. 


252  THE    USURPER. 

"  We  must  barricade  those  alleys,"  said  the  Prince. 

"With  what?" 

The  hermetically  closed  houses  seemed  dead.  Their 
mute,  blind  aspect  showed  that  it  would  be  useless  to 
knock ;  for  it  would  awake  no  echo  in  the  soul  of  the 
terrified  inhabitants.  The  blinds  were  wrenched  from 
their  hinges,  the  windows  broken  open,  the  houses  entered. 
A  sort  of  pillage  began ;  everything  was  thrown  into  the 
street,  —  screens,  bronze  vases,  lacquer  chests,  mattresses, 
and  lanterns.  With  astonishing  rapidity  all  this  was 
heaped  up  pell-mell  at  the  month  of  the  different  lanes. 
A  tea-merchant  was  entirely  stripped ;  all  the  exquisite 
varieties  of  the  aromatic  herb,  wrapped  in  silk  paper,  in 
leaden  boxes,  or  in  valuable  caskets,  went  to  swell  the 
pile,  and  were  offered  to  the  ravages  of  arrows  and  shot. 
The  air  was  filled  with  perfume. 

The  enemy  fought  furiously,  but  could  not  cross  the 
street.  In  the  direction  of  the  river  was  heard  the 
sound  of  another  conflict  raging  there.  The  Prince  sent 
one  of  his  men  that  way,  saying  :  "  Come  and  tell  us 
as  soon  as  Yama-Kava  wins." 

The  struggle  now  became  desperate  ;  several  barricades 
were  forced ;  men  fought  hand  to  hand  in  the  street  filled 
with  dust  and  smoke. 

"Courage,  courage!"  shouted  Nagato  to  his  troops; 
"  a  moment  more  ! " 

At  last  the  messenger  returned. 

"  Victory  ! "  he  cried ;  "  Yama-Kava  has  crossed  the 
river." 

Then  Nagato's  men  began  to  fall  back.  Yama-Kava, 
protected  by  the  Knights  of  Heaven,  who  overwhelmed 
his  assailants  with  arrows  from  the  top  of  the  towers, 
entered  the  fortress  with  his  five  thousand  soldiers.  The 
Mikado  was  thenceforth  out  of  danger;  seven  thousand 


THE   USURPER.  253 

men  behind  the  ramparts  being  fully  equal  to  the  ten 
thousand  exposed  troops  of  the  hostile  General.  The 
latter,  filled  with  wrath,  his  orders  unheeded,  seeing  the 
mistake  he  had  made  by  involving  his  men  in  the  laby- 
rinth of  streets,  sprang  to  the  head  of  his  troops,  to 
inspire  them  with  fresh  courage,  force  the  passage  so 
bravely  defended,  and  reach  the  banks  of  the  Kamon- 
Gava. 

He  found  himself  face  to  face  with  the  Prince  of 
Nagato ;  both  were  on  horseback.  They  gazed  at  each 
other  for  an  instant. 

"  It  is  you,  then,"  cried  the  Prince,  "  who  serve  as  the 
instrument  of  a  crime  so  odious  that  it  seems  incredible  ! 
It  is  you  who  have  the  impudence  to  raise  your  hand 
against  the  divine  Mikado  !  " 

For  his  only  answer,  the  General  flung  a  dart  at  Na- 
gato, which  grazed  his  sleeve.  The  Prince  responded  by 
a  shot,  fired  at  close  range.  The  warrior  fell  upon  his 
horse's  neck  without  a  sound,  —  to  rise  no  more. 

The  news  of  his  death  spread  quickly ;  the  soldiers, 
left  without  a  leader,  wavered. 

"  His  sacrilegious  daring  brought  him  ill  luck,"  said 
they ;  "  it  may  well  be  fatal  to  us  too." 

The  Prince,  who  noted  this  hesitation  and  the  vague 
remorse  springing  up  in  the  souls  of  the  soldiers,  hit  upon 
a  scheme  adapted  to  render  the  victory  decisive  if  it  pro- 
duced the  effect  which  he  expected.  He  ran  to  the  brink 
of  the  Wild  Goose  River,  and  shouted  to  the  soldiers  who 
guarded  the  fortress  :  "  Lead  the  Mikado  to  the  top  of 
the  tower." 

His  idea  was  caught.  Go-Mitzou-No  was  sought  in  all 
haste,  and  conducted  by  force,  more  dead  than  alive,  to 
the  highest  tower  of  the  castle. 

The  Sun  Goddess  seemed  to  cast  all  her  rays  upon  that 


254  THE    USURPER. 

divine  man,  \vho  was  fully  her  peer.  The  Mikado's  red 
robes  shone  resplendent ;  the  lofty  sheet  of  gold  which 
formed .  his  crown  gleamed  upon  his  brow. 

"  The  Son  of  the  Gods !  the  Son  of  the  Gods ! "  was 
the  universal  shout. 

The  soldiers  raised  their  heads ;  they  saw  that  dazzling 
mass  of  purple  and  gold  at  the  top  of  the  tower,  —  the  man 
whom  they  were  forbidden  to  behold,  the  man  surrounded 
by  an  awful  spell,  and  whom  they  had  just  outraged. 
They  thought  that  the  Mikado  was  about  to  take  his 
flight  and  leave  earth  behind  forever,  in  punishment  of 
the  wickedness  of  men.  They  threw  down  their  arms 
and  fell  upon  their  knees. 

"  Mercy  !  "  -they  cried ;  "  do  not  desert  us  !  What  will 
become  of  us  without  you  ? " 

"  Sublime  lord !  all-powerful  master !  we  are  base 
wretches ;  but  thy  goodness  is  infinite  ! " 

"  We  will  abase  ourselves  in  the  dust ;  we  will  moisten 
it  with  the  tears  of  our  repentance." 

Then  they  burst  into  invectives  against  their  leaders. 

"  They  drove  us  to  it,  they  led  us  astray ! "  "  They 
intoxicated  us  with  saki,  to  take  away  our  senses ! " 
"The  General  paid  for  his  crime  with  his  life !"  "Let 
him  be  accursed  !  "  "  May  he  be  devoured  by  foxes !  " 
"  May  the  great  judge  of  hell  be  pitiless  towards  him  ! " 

The  Mikado's  eyes  wandered  over  the  city ;  he  saw 
smoke  rising  on  every  hand.  He  extended  his  arm,  and 
pointed  with  his  finger  to  the  burning  buildings. 

The  soldiers  below  imagined  this  gesture  to  be  an 
order ;  they  rose  and  flew  to  extinguish  the  flames  which 
they  themselves  had  kindled. 

The  victory  was  complete.  The  Prince  of  Nagato 
smiled  as  he  saw  how  exactly  the  Mikado's  appearance 
had  answered  his  anticipations. 


THE   USURPER.  255 

But  all  at  once,  just  as  he  was  about  to  step  upon  the 
drawbridge  and  enter  the  fortress  in  his  turn,  frantic 
servants  came  running  along  the  banks  of  the  Kamon- 
Gawa. 

"  The  Queen ! "  they  cried ;  "  they  are  carrying  off  the 
Queen  !  " 

"  What  say  you  1 "  exclaimed  the  Prince,  turning  pale. 
"  Then  the  Queen  is  not  in  the  fortress  1 " 

"  She  had  no  time  to  seek  refuge  there,  she  is  at  the 
summer-palace." 

Without  staying  to  hear  more,  Nagato  sprang  like  an 
arrow  in  the  direction  of  the  palace,  followed  by  such  of 
his  soldiers  as  were  left,  —  scarcely  fifty  able-bodied  men. 

But  they  soon  lost  sight  of  the  Prince  ;  and,  not  know- 
ing their  way,  went  astray. 

Nagato  quickly  reached  the  door  of  the  summer-palace. 
Pages  stood  at  the  threshold. 

"  That  way !  that  way  !  "  they  cried  to  the  Prince, 
pointing  to  the  road  which  led  to  the  base  of  the  moun- 
tains. 

Nagato  turned  and  put  the  spurs  to  his  horse.  Un- 
fortunately the  road  was  bordered  by  trees,  and  was 
very  winding,  so  that  he  could  see  but  a  short  distance 
before  him.  Nothing  was  visible.  His  horse  reared,  and 
sprang  forward.  To  lighten  its  load,  he  threw  away  his 
gun. 

After  ten  minutes  of  this  mad  race  he  saw  the  hind- 
quarters of  a  horse  in  a  cloud  of  dust.  The  Prince  was 
gaining  ground ;  he  soon  saw  a  floating  veil,  and  a  man, 
who  turned  his  head  in  alarm. 

"  What  man  is  that  who  dares  clasp  her  in  his  arms  ? " 
thought  Nagato,  gnashing  his  teeth. 

The  despoil er  plunged  into  a  valley ;  the  Prince  was 
close  upon  him.  The  man,  seeing  that  all  was  lost, 


256  THE   USURPER. 

slipped  down  from  his  horse  and  escaped  on  foot,  leaving 
the  Queen  behind. 

The  Prince  thought  he  recognized  in  the  fugitive 
Faxibo,  the  groom  promoted  to  be  the  confidant  of  Hieyas. 

It  was  indeed  he.  This  rogue,  who  respected  nothing, 
seeing  that  the  day  was  lost  and  the  Mikado  out  of  reach, 
thought  of  the  Kisaki,  alone  and  defenceless  in  the  sum- 
mer-palace ;  he  at  once  realized  the  value  of  such  a  prize, 
and  resolved  to  carry  off  his  sovereign.  He  entered  the 
palace,  on  the  plea  of  being  an  envoy  from  Yama-Kava. 
He  was  on  horseback ;  the  Queen  stepped  forward  on  the 
balcony.  He  instantly  seized  her,  and  fled  before  the 
servants  had  recovered  from  their  surprise. 

The  Prince  had  no  time  to  pursue  Faxibo,  as  the  horse 
which  bore  the  Queen  continued  to  run. 

Nagato  rushed  after  her  and  caught  her  in  his  arms ; 
she  had  fainted. 

He  carried  her  into  the  shade  of  a  tea-shrub,  and  laid 
her  on  the  grass ;  then  he  dropped  upon  one  knee,  trem- 
bling with  emotion,  desperate,  and  distracted.  The  furi- 
ous course  which  he  had  just  run,  the  fatigue  of  the 
fight,  and  his  sleepless  night,  clouded  his  mind.  He 
thought  that  he  was  dreaming;  he  gazed  at  the  being 
who  had  never  ceased  to  occupy  his  every  thought,  and 
blessed  the  illusion  which  led  him  to  fancy  her  beside 
him. 

Lying  in  a  careless,  graceful  position,  very  pale,  her 
head  thrown  back,  her  body  swathed  in  a  lilac  crape  robe 
whose  folds  were  stirred  by  the  rapid  palpitations  of  her 
heart,  she  seemed  asleep.  Her  sleeve  was  slightly  dis- 
arranged, revealing  her  arm ;  her  little  hand,  stretched 
out  upon  the  grass,  palm  uppermost,  looked  like  a  water- 
lily. 

"  What   supreme  beauty  ! "   thought   the  enraptured 


THE   USURPER.  257 

Prince  ;  "  assuredly  the  Goddess  of  the  Sun  could  be  no 
more  resplendent !  Light  seems  to  radiate  from  her 
white  skin ;  her  mouth  is  crimsoned  with  the  life-blood  of 
a  flower ;  her  large  eyes,  beneath  their  long  black  lashes, 
are  like  two  swallows  drowned  in  milk.  Do  not  fade, 
celestial  vision  !  Remain  ever  thus  :  my  eyes  are  riveted 
upon  thee  ! " 

Gradually  a  sense  of  reality  returned  to  him ;  he  re- 
membered that  she  was  suffering,  while  he  forgot  to  aid 
her.  But  what  could  he  do  1  He  looked  around  him  for 
a  brook  or  waterfall ;  he  saw  nothing.  Then  he  opened 
his  fan  and  waved  it  gently  above  the  Queen's  face.  She 
remained  motionless.  The  Prince  took  her  hand,  think- 
ing that  she  might  be  cold;  but  he  sprang  quickly  to  his 
feet  and  started  back,  alarmed  by  the  deep  agitation 
which  the  touch  of  those  soft  warm  fingers  aroused  in 
his  bosom.  He  called  ;  no  one  replied.  Those  who  had 
followed  him  in  pursuit  of  the  Queen's  abductor,  instead 
of  turning  into  the  valley,  had  kept  straight  on. 

Nagato  returned  to  the  Kisaki ;  it  seemed  to  him  that 
she  stirred.  He  knelt  beside  her  once  more,  and  gazed 
into  her  face.  She  opened  her  eyes ;  then  shut  them 
again,  as  if  dazzled  by  the  light.  The  Prince  bent  over 
her.  "Beloved  Queen,"  he  sighed,  "revive!  revive!" 

She  opened  her  eyes  a  second  time,  and  saw  the  Prince. 
Then  an  enchanting  smile  hovered  upon  her  lips.  A  bird 
sang  above  them. 

"  Is  it  you,  Iwakura  1 "  she  said,  in  a  faint  voice ;  "  have 
you  come  back  to  me  at  last  ]  You  see  that  death  is 
merciful,  and  has  reunited  us !  " 

"  Alas  !  "  said  the  Prince,  "  we  still  live." 

The  Kisaki  sat  up,  and  leaning  on  one  hand,  looked  all 
about  her,  striving  to  recollect  what  had  happened  ;  then 
her  eyes  returned  to  Nagato. 

17 


258  THE   USURPER. 

"  Did  not  some  man  tear  me  from  my  palace,  and  carry 
me  brutally  away  ? "  she  asked. 

"A  miserable  wretch  did  indeed  commit  that  crime, 
worthy  of  a  thousand  deaths." 

"What  did  he  mean  to  do  with  me1?" 

"  He  meant  to  imprison  you,  so  that  he  might  impose 
his  own  terms  on  the  Mikado." 

"Villain  !"  cried  the  Queen.  "I  can  guess  the  rest," 
she  added  :  "  you  pursued  my  rayisher,  and  rescued  me. 
I  am  not  surprised.  I  called  upon  you  in  the  midst  of 
my  danger !  Just  now,  when  I  lost  consciousness,  I 
thought  of  you;  I  invoked  your  aid." 

With  these  words  the  Kisaki  cast  down  her  eyes  and 
turned  away  her  head,  as  if  ashamed  of  such  an  avowal. 

"Oh  !  I  conjure  you,"  cried  the  Prince,  "do  not  take 
back  those  words ;  do  not  repent  that  you  pronounced 
them ! " 

The  Kisaki  raised  her  large  eyes  to  the  Prince  with  a 
prolonged  gaze.  "  I  do  not  repent,"  she  said.  "  I  love 
you ;  I  acknowledge  it  proudly.  My  love  is  as  pure  as 
a  star ;  I  have  no  cause  to  conceal  it.  I  have  reflected 
much  in  your  absence.  I  was  terrified  by  the  feeling 
which  took  deeper  possession  of  me  daily  ;  I  considered 
myself  criminal ;  I  strove  to  conquer  my  heart,  to  silence 
my  thoughts ;  but  to  no  avail.  Can  the  flower  refuse  to 
bud  and  bloom,  —  the  star  refuse  to  shine  1  Can  the 
night  rebel  when  day  triumphs  over  it,  as  you  have 
triumphed  over  my  soul  1 " 

"  Do  I  hear  aright  1  Do  lips  like  yours  address  such 
words  to  me  ? "  exclaimed  the  Prince.  "  You  love  me  !  you, 
the  Daughter  of  the  Gods  !  Then  let  me  bear  you  hence; 
let  us  fly  from  the  kingdom  to  some  distant  land  which 
will  be  a  paradise.  You  are  mine  if  you  love  me.  I  have 
been  so  miserable  !  Now  my  happiness  weighs  me  to  the 


THE   USURPER.  259 

ground.  Come,  let  us  hasten ;  life  is  too  short  to  hold 
such  bliss." 

"  Prince,"  said  the  Queen,  "  the  confession  which  I 
have  made  to  you,  being  what  I  am,  should  show  you 
how  far  my  love  is  removed  from  earthly  thoughts.  I  do 
not  belong  to  myself  in  this  world  ;  I  am  a  wife ;  I  am  a 
sovereign  ;  no  guilty  deed  can  ever  be  committed  by  me. 
My  soul  surrenders  itself  to  you,  against  my  will ;  could 
I  hide  it  from  you  1  But  if  I  spoke  to-day,  it  was  merely 
because  we  shall  never  meet  again  on  earth." 

"  Never  meet  again !  "  cried  the  Prince,  in  horror. 
"  Why  do  you  say  so  cruel  a  thing  1  Why,  after  opening 
heaven  to  my  gaze  for  a  brief  instant,  do  you  hurl  me 
suddenly  down  to  the  torments  of  hell  ]  To  be  deprived 
of  your  presence  will  as  surely  kill  me  as  to  be  deprived 
of  light  and  air." 

Nagato  covered  his  face,  to  hide  the  tears  which  he 
could  not  restrain.  But  the  Queen  gently  drew  his  hands 
aside,  saying  :  "  Do  not  weep.  What  is  life1!  A  trifle  by 
the  side  of  eternity.  We  shall  meet  again,  I  am  very 
sure." 

"But  if  death  deceive  us,"  said  the  Prince;  "if  life 
ends  in  annihilation ;  if  all  is  over  with  the  last  sigh  1 " 

"That  is  impossible,"  she  answered  with  a  smile,  "be- 
cause my  love  is  infinite." 

"  It  is  well,"  said  the  Prince;  "  I  will  kill  myself." 

"Swear  that  you  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind!"  ex- 
claimed the  Kisaki.  "  What  do  we  know  of  the  will  of 
Heaven?  We  may  not  have  the  right  to  escape  our 
destiny ;  and  if  we  do  not  yield  to  it,  we  may  be  forced  to 
return  to  earth." 

"  But  it  is  impossible  ;  I  cannot  endure  to  live  !  "  said 
the  Prince.  "  Do  you  not  see  how  I  suffer  ?  You  say 
you  love  me,  and  you  torture  me  thus ! " 


260  THE   USURPER. 

"  Do  you  think  I  do  not  suffer  too  1  I  swear  to  you 
that  I  will  die  of  my  love  without  taking  refuge  in 
suicide." 

The  Prince  had  thrown  himself  upon  the  sod,  his  face 
in  the  grass ;  convulsive  sobs  shook  his  frame. 

"  You  drive  me  to  despair,  Iwakura  !  "  cried  the  Queen  ; 
"all  my  strength  will  vanish  before  your  grief.  I  am 
but  a  woman  in  your  presence ;  my  will  is  no  longer 
supreme.  What  must  I  do  to  dry  your  tears]" 

"  Allow  me  to  see  you  from  time  to  time  as  heretofore," 
said  the  Prince ;  "  then  only  can  I  consent  to  wait  for 
death." 

"  Meet  again  after  what  I  have  told  you  ! " 

"  I  will  forget  it,  if  need  be,  divine  friend  ;  I  will  re- 
main your  humble  and  submissive  servant.  No  word  or 
look  shall  ever  betray  the  just  pride  which  fills  my  soul." 

The  Queen  smiled  as  she  saw  happiness  once  more 
illumine  the  still  moist  eyes  of  the  Prince.  "You  have 
vanquished  me,"  said  she ;  "  and  yet  I  thought  my  reso- 
lution fixed.  May  I  never  be  punished  for  my  weak- 
ness ! " 

"Punished!  For  what1?"  said  the  Prince.  "What 
evil  do  we  commit  1  Are  not  all  the  nobles  of  the  Court 
admitted  to  your  presence1?  Should  I  alone  be  exiled 
because  I  am  blind  to  everything  but  your  beauty  1  Would 
not  that  be  unjust  1 " 

"  It  would  be  wise  and  prudent,"  said  the  Queen, 
sighing,  "  But  I  have  yielded ;  let  us  say  no  more  about 
it,  but  return  to  the  palace,"  she  added ;  "  my  people 
must  be  seeking  for  me  still.  We  must  let  them  know 
that  I  am  safe." 

"  Oh,  stay  one  moment  more !  "  murmured  the  Prince  ; 
"  we  shall  never  again  meet  as  now,  in  the  midst  of 
Nature,  alone,  far  from  every  eye.  Civil  war,  crime,  and 


THE    USURPER.  261 

sacrilege  were  required  to  bring  about  this  condition  of 
things.  To-morrow  all  the  ceremony  of  your  rank  will 
surround  you  once  more ;  I  can  only  address  you  from 
afar." 

"  Who  knows  what  may  happen  yet  1 "  said  the  Queen. 
"  The  Mikado  sought  refuge  in  the  fortress,  which  was  at 
once  surrounded  by  soldiers ;  I  was  forced  to  remain  in 
the  summer-palace.  All  this  has  happened  since  morning. 
The  rebels  had  the  upper  hand  —  " 

"  But  since  then  they  have  been  completely  con- 
quered," said  the  Prince  ;  "  the  hostile  General  is  killed, 
and  his  army  has  surrendered  ;  the  Mikado  is  free.  But 
let  us  not  talk  of  that.  What  matters  the  war?  Tell 
me  :  how  long  have  you  loved  me  ? " 

"  Ever  since  I  knew  you,"  said  the  Kisaki,  casting 
down  her  eyes.  "  I  never  suspected  it,  until  jealousy 
revealed  my  love  to  me." 

"  You  jealous !  " 

"  Yes,  and  madly.  I  felt  a  strange  and  constant  pain  ; 
I  could  not  sleep ;  all  pleasures  annoyed  me.  I  gave  way 
to  my  anger  continually,  and  I  abused  my  women.  The 
one  whom  I  thought  you  loved,  I  loathed.  One  evening 
I  drove  her  from  my  presence  because  she  betrayed  her 
love  by  an  exclamation  on  seeing  you  leaning  against  a 
tree.  I  returned  to  my  palace.  I  can  see  you  still  in 
the  moonlight,  pale,  with  burning  eyes." 

"  Did  you  not  see  that  I  looked  at  you  alone  ? " 

"  No  ;  and  all  night  long  I  wept  in  silence." 

"  Oh,  do  not  drive  me  mad  ! "  cried  the  Prince. 

"  You  see,"  said  she,  *'  I  conceal  nothing  from  you ; 
I  lay  my  heart  bare  before  you,  confident  of  your 
loyalty." 

"  I  am  worthy  of  your  confidence,"  said  the  Prince ; 
"my  love  is  as  pure  as  your  own." 


262  THE   USURPER. 

"  A  few  days  later,"  continued  the  Queen,  "  you  knelt 
before  me  in  the  audience-chamber.  Surprised  at  your 
emotion,  I  permitted  myself  to  speak  of  my  maid-of- 
honor.  You  cried  out  that  you  did  not  love  her,  casting 
upon  me  a  look  in  which  all  your  soul  was  visible.  Do 
you  remember  what  a  scornful,  angry  air  I  assumed  1  If 
you  knew  what  ineffable  joy  overwhelmed  me  :  the 
gazelle  seized  in  the  tiger's  claws,  then  let  suddenly  loose, 
mxist  feel  something  of  my  sensations.  I  knew  then  that 
it  was  I  whom  you  loved ;  your  look  and  your  emotion 
told  me  so.  When  I  left  you,  I  hurried  into  the  gardens 
and  wrote  the  verses  which  I  gave  you  so  indifferently." 

"  They  lie  here  upon  my  heart,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  they 
never  leave  me." 

"  Do  you  recognize  this  1 "  said  the  Kisaki,  showing 
the  Prince  a  fan  thrust  into  the  girdle  of  silver  brocade 
which  encircled  her  waist. 

"  No,"  said  Nagato ;  "  what  may  that  be  1 " 

She  took  out  the  fan,  and  opened  it.  It  was  of  white 
paper,  sprinkled  with  gold.  In  one  corner  was  a  tuft  of 
reeds  and  two  storks  flying  over ;  at  the  other  end  were 
four  lines  of  poetry,  written  in  Chinese  characters. 

"  The  thing  which  we  love  more  than  all  else,  we  prefer  that  no  one 

else  should  love. 
It  belongs  to  another. 

So  the  willow,  which  takes  root  in  our  garden, 
Bends,  blown  by  the  wind,  and  adorns  our  neighbor's  wall  with 

its  branches." 

"  Those  are  the  verses  which  I  wrote  in  the  western 
orchard  !  "  cried  the  Prince.  "  Have  you  preserved  that 
fanl" 

"  I  never  use  any  other,"  said  tne  Kisaki. 

They  broke  into  pleased  laughter,  forgetful  of  their 
past  sufferings,  dwelling  with  delight  on  this  moment  of 


THE    USURPER.  263 

happiness.  The  Queen  no  longer  spoke  of  returning  to 
the  palace. 

"  If  you  were  my  brother  !  "  she  suddenly  exclaimed  ; 
"  if  I  might  pass  my  life  in  your  society  without  giving 
rise  to  slander,  how  swiftly  the  days  would  pass." 

"  And  you  wanted  to  drive  me  from  you,  cruel  one  ! " 

"  The  queen  issued  that  order ;  before  your  teai-s  the 
woman  could  not  obey !  But  tell  me  now,  how  did  you 
happen  to  fall  in  love  with  me?  " 

"  I  have  long  loved  you,"  said  the  Prince.  ' "  My  love 
was  born  before  you  ever  saw  me.  When  my  father 
abdicated  in  my  favor,  I  came  to  take  the  oath  of  alle- 
giance to  the  Mikado.  As  I  left  the  audience-chamber, 
you  passed  by  me  on  the  balcony.  I  thought  it  was 
Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin  herself;  I  was  mute  with  surprise  and 
admiration.  Your  eyes  were  lowered ;  your  long  lashes 
cast  a  shadow  on  your  cheeks.  I  can  see  you  now,  if  I 
close  my  eyes.  A  white  peacock  was  embroidered  on 
your  robe  ;  lotos-blossoms  decked  your  hair ;  your  hand, 
hanging  by  your  side,  negligently  waved  a  fan  of  pheas- 
ant-plumes. It  was  only  a  flash  :  you  disappeared  ;  but 
thenceforth  I  lived  but  for  you.  —  I  did  not  return  to 
the  palace  until  a  year  later." 

"  It  was  then  I  first  saw  you,"  said  the  Queen.  "  Every 
one  was  talking  of  you ;  my  women  never  wearied  of  the 
theme  ;  your  praises  were  on  every  lip.  I  was  curious  to 
see  the  hero  to  whom  every  virtue  was  attributed,  who 
was  adorned  with  every  grace.  Hidden  behind  a  blind,  I 
watched  you  as  you  crossed  the  great  courtyard  of  the 
Dairi.  I  thought  that  rumor  did  not  do  you  justice  ;  and 
I  moved  away,  strangely  agitated." 

"  As  for  me,  I  left  the  palace  without  seeing  you  again ; 
I  was  a  prey  to  gloomy  sorrow.  For  a  year  I  had 
patiently  awaited  the  moment  when  I  hoped  I  might 


264  THE   USURPER. 

catch  another  glimpse  of  you  ;  and  the  year's  delay  ended 
in  disappointment.  I  could  not  help  coming  back  a  few 
days  later ;  on  this  occasion  I  was  admitted  to  a  festival 
at  which  you  were  present.  It  was  then  that  I  perceived 
the  interest  felt  for  me  by  Fatkoura,  and  formed  the 
wicked  scheme  of  concealing  the  overwhelming  passion 
which  possessed  me  behind  a  feigned  love." 

"  How  she  must  suffer,  unfortunate  girl,  to  love,  and 
not  be  loved  in  return  ! "  said  the  Kisaki.  "  I  pity  her 
with  all  my  heart.  Where  is  she  now  ] " 

"  At  my  castle  of  Hagui,  with  my  father.  I  have  sent 
a  messenger  thither  to  bring  me  the  latest  tidings  in 
regard  to  events  there.  My  father  must  think  me  dead ; 
for  you  probably  do  not  know  that  my  kingdom  has  been 
pillaged,  my  fortress  taken,  and  my  head  cut  off.  But 
what  do  I  care  ]  I  would  give  my  kingdom  aud  the  whole 
world  just  to  see  the  pretty  dimple  at  the  corner  of  your 
mouth  when  you  smile." 

"  Ah  ! "  said  the  Queen,  "  I,  too,  would  cheerfully  give 
up  my  crown,  and  all  the  splendors  that  surround  me,  to 
be  your  wife  and  live  with  you.  But  do  not  let  us  think 
of  what  is  impossible,"  she  added  ;  "  let  us  remember 
that  our  hope  lies  beyond  the  limits  of  this  world." 

Saying  this,  she  raised  her  eyes  to  heaven. 

"  Look,  friend  ! "  she  exclaimed  ;  "  see  those  clouds  lit 
up  by  rosy  reflections;  the  sun  is  setting  already.  Is 
it  possible  ! " 

"  Alas !  "  said  the  Prince ;  "  then  we  must  return  to  the 
haunts  of  men." 

"  Do  not  be  too  sad, "  she  whispered ;  "  for  we  shall 
meet  again." 

The  Prince  rose,  and  went  in  search  of  the  horses.  The 
one  which  he  had  ridden  lay  dead  from  exhaustion ;  the 
other,  being  very  weary,  had  halted  a  few  paces  away. 


THE   USURPER.  265 

He  led  it  back  to  the  Queen,  and  helped  her  into  the 
saddle  ;  then  he  cast  a  last  regretful  glance  at  the  valley 
which  he  was  about  to  leave.  With  a  deep  sigh  he  took 
the  horse  by  the  bridle  and  led  it  over  the  turf. 

Just  as  the  Kisaki  and  the  Prince  left,  the  bush  which 
had  shaded  them  rustled,  and  a  mail  who  had  been  hidden 
behind  it  ran  off. 


266  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER   XXII 

THE  MIKADO. 

it  was  that  Kioto  escaped  the  danger  which  it 
had  incurred ;  the  battle  was  over,  the  fires  quenched. 
The  Queen,  carried  off  by  guilty  hands  while  the  city  was 
given  over  to  terror  and  dismay,  was  brought  back  by  the 
Prince  of  Nagato  to  a  people  drunk  with  joy.  The  houses, 
so  tightly  closed  a  few  hours  before,  were  thrown  wide 
open  ;  everybody  flocked  into  the  streets  ;  the  inhabitants 
chatted  with  the  soldiers ;  barrels  of  saki  were  rolled  out 
and  tapped.  Men  danced  and  sang  ;  they  thought  them- 
selves dead,  and  were  alive.  There  was  good  cause  for 
rejoicing ;  shouts  went  up  from  every  street  and  square  ; 
they  spread  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  soon  the  whole 
city  repeated  :  "  Glory  to  the  Mikado  !  "  "  Death  to  Hie- 
yas  !  "  "  Curses  on  his  race  ! "  "  Blessings  on  General 
Yama-Kava! "  "  Praises  to  the  Knights  of  Heaven  ! " 

"  And  glory  to  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  to  whom  we  owe 
the  victory  !  "  cried  one  fellow. 

"  And  who  restores  our  divine  Kisaki  to  us,"  said 
another. 

The  Prince  at  this  moment  appeared,  leading  the  horse 
that  bore  the  Kisaki.  The  crowd  parted,  and  fell  prostrate 
before  her  in  sudden  silence,  which  ceased  abruptly  as 
soon  as  she  had  passed. 

The  Queen  had  drawn  her  veil  over  her  face ;  with  one 


THE   USURPER.  267 

hand  she  held  its  light  folds  upon  her  breast.  The  horse, 
flecked  with  foam,  puffed  and  panted  as  he  moved.  Na- 
gato  held  the  animal  by  the  bridle,  and  occasionally 
turned  to  the  Queen,  who  smiled  at  him  behind  her 
gauzy  veil,  while  every  forehead  touched  the  ground. 

Thus  they  reached  the  fortress  of  Nisio-Nosiro,  and 
crossed  its  ramparts.  The  Knights  of  Heaven  came  out 
to  receive  the  Kisaki.  Her  women  remained  at  the 
summer-palace  ;  she  was  asked  whether  they  should  be 
summoned. 

"  Why  shoulo*  they  1 "  said  she  ;  "  shall  we  not  return 
to  the  palace  ?  " 

No  one  dared  to  tell  her  that  the  Mikado,  his  fears  still 
unallayed,  refused  to  quit  the  fortress,  and  intended  to 
leave  it  no  more. 

The  Son  of  the  Gods  was  indignant ;  victory  had  not 
appeased  either  his  terror  or  his  wrath.  He,  attacked  in 
his  own  palace,  —  not  by  Mongols,  nor  by  Chinese  !  His 
own  people  —  that  is,  his  slaves,  those  who  were  not  worthy 
to  utter  his  name  —  had  had  the  unheard-of  audacity  to 
take  up  arms  against  him !  His  sacred  person  was  con- 
strained not  only  to  walk,  but  to  run !  The  Mikado, 
whose  mere  glance  should  reduce  a  man  to  ashes,  had 
fled,  pale  with  fear ;  the  stiff  folds  of  his  satin  robes 
were  disturbed ;  he  stumbled  over  the  abundance  of  his 
drapery  as  he  ran  through  the  streets!  "What  had  be- 
come of  the  sacred  majesty,  the  divine  prestige,  of  the 
descendant  of  the  Gods  amidst  this  fatal  adventure1? 

Go-Mitzou-No,  furious,  trembling,  and  astounded,  was 
not  assuaged  by  victory.  He  ordered  a  general  massacre 
of  all  the  soldiers  who  had  surrendered. 

"They  will  rise  against  me  again!"  he  said.  "Kill 
them,  to  the  last  man  !  " 

"  We  will  kill  them  by  and  by,"  ventured  to  reply 


268  THE   USURPER.' 

the  Minister  of  the  Right  Hand,  one  of  the  highest 
dignitaries  of  the  Dairi ;  "just  now  those  ten  thousand 
additional  troops  are  most  necessary  to  us." 

Then  the  Mikado  cried  out :  "  Let  Hieyas  be  brought 
before  me  !  Let  his  eyes  be  put  out,  his  entrails  torn 
from  him ;  let  him  be  cut  into  small  pieces  !  " 

"By  and  by,"  said   the  Minister  of  the  Left  Hand 
"just  now  Hieyas  is  out  of  our  reach." 

"  Assemble  all  your  warriors,  all  the  princes  and  minis- 
ters," then  screamed  the  Mikado ;  "  I  desire  to  inform 
them  of  my  will." 

No  one  had  any  objection  to  make ;  but  the  general 
surprise  was  great.  The  Mikado  having  a  will  of  his  own  ; 
manifesting  the  desire  to  make  a  speech  !  Such  a  thing 
had  never  occurred  since  Yorimoto,  in  the  reign  of  Tsoutsi- 
Mikado,  repulsed  the  Mongol  invasion,  and  received  the 
title  of  Shogun  for  that  brave  deed.  Since  that  time  the 
Shoguns  had  reigned  in  the  name  of  the  Mikados,  who 
had  never  dreamed  of  taking  back  the  sceptre  intrusted 
by  them  to  other  hands.  Had  the  true  master  waked 
at  last  from  his  long  torpor?  did  he  intend  to  grasp  the 
power  once  more,  and  govern  his  kingdom  for  himself  1 
The  ministe/s  looked  at  each  other  in  vague  alarm.  Some 
of  them  secretly  favored  Hieyas ;  others  were  faithful  to 
the  dynasty  of  the  Mikados ;  but  they  lacked  energy,  and 
dreaded  any  revolt  against  those  who  were  masters  of  the 
army. 

But  since  the  fancy  took  the  Son  of  the  Gods  to  issue 
his  commands,  his  ministers  could  not  refuse  to  obey. 
The  nobles  and  warriors  were  speedily  assembled  in  the 
most  spacious  hall  in  the  fortress.  The  Mikado  sat  cross- 
legged  upon  a  dais  surrounded  by  a  low  balustrade  ;  the 
folds  of  his  robes  were  arranged  about  him.  Then  the 
lords  took  their  seats  on  the  floor,  each  holding  a  long, 


THE   USURPER.  269 

narrow  screen  before  his  face,  to  oppose  some  obstacle 
between  his  gaze  and  his  sovereign's  face. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato,  with  Farou-So-Chan,  leader  of 
the  Knights  of  Heaven,  Simabara,  General  Yama-Kava, 
all  the  ministers,  and  all  the  nobles,  were  present. 

Go-Mitzou-No's  angry  eye  wandered  over  their  heads  ; 
he  swelled  up  his  cheeks,  which  were  even  more  pasty 
than  usual;  then  breathed  noisily,  as  if  he  wanted  to 
scatter  a  few  grains  of  dust.  At  last  he  found  speech, 
—  abrupt,  and  somewhat  plaintive. 

"  So,"  he  said,  "  I  am  no  longer  master ;  I  am  no  longer 
the  representative  of  the  Gods !  I  am  besieged,  I  am  out- 
raged ;  an  attempt  is  made  to  seize  upon  my  person !  I 
am  amazed  that  you  still  live.  What  does  all  this  mean  ? 
Is  this  the  way  you  treat  a  god  ?  I  am  the  Mikado ;  that 
is,  the  supreme  lord.  Do  you  forget  that  fact  ?  I  am  here 
on  earth  for  the  good  of  mankind,  when  I  might  be  with 
my  family  in  heaven.  If  things  go  on  in  this  way,  I  will 
desert  you.  What !  you  do  not  tremble  1  What  are  you 
thinking  of  1  Have  you  not  noticed  the  signs  of  anger 
given  by  my  celestial  progenitors  ?  Reflect  and  remem- 
ber !  But  a  short  time  since,  a  mountain  suddenly  rose 
out  of  the  sea  opposite  the  Island  of  Fatsisio..  „  Is  not  that 
terrible  ?  Is  not  that  a  mark  of  the  displeasure  with 
which  mankind  has  inspired  the  Gods  1  The  earth  shall 
shake  yet  again,  and  all  shall  be  overthrown.  Did  there 
not  fall  a  rain  of  hairy  locks  in  the  suburbs  of  Osaka  only 
a  few  days  after  that  mountain  rose  up  out  of  the  water  1 
Was  not  that  a  sign  of  misfortune  1  Are  you  blind  and 
deaf]  Have  you  ceased  to  understand  the  threats  of 
Heaven  ?  Are  you  hardened  in  crime  1  Do  you  fear  noth- 
ing, that  you  do  not  shake  before  the  breath  of  my  wrath  ? " 

"  We  are  your  faithful  servants  ! "  said  the  Minister  of 
the  Right  Hand. 


270  THE   USURPER. 

"  I,  Go-Mitzou-No,  the  one  hundred  and  nineteenth  of 
my  race,"  said  the  Mikado,  "  have  been  insulted  ;  and  if 
the  earth  is  not  cleft  in  twain,  it  is  solely  because  my  feet 
yet  rest,  upon  its  surface ;  it  is  spared  for  my  sake.  Yes, 
my  subjects  —  mere  men  —  came  to  the  Dairi ;  they  forced 
the  doors  ;  they  strove  to  seize  upon  me,  —  to  imprison 
the  Son  of  the  Gods  !  And  to  escape  them  I  was  forced 
to  fly  !  A  Mikado  fly  from  men  I  I  am  choked  with  rage. 
I  will  plunge  you  all  into  darkness ;  I  will  put  out  the 
sun  ;  I  will  turn  the  sea  topsy-turvy ;  I  will  dash  the 
earth  into  a  thousand  pieces." 

"  We  are  your  submissive  slaves ! "  said  the  Minister 
of  the  Left  Hand. 

"  If  you  are  my  slaves,  obey  !  "  screamed  the  Son  of  the 
Gods.  "  I  command  that  all  shall  come  to  an  end;  the  war 
shall  cease,  and  everything  return  to  its  accustomed  order." 

"  Divine  Lord !  master  of  our  destinies  ! "  said  the 
Prince  of  Nagato,  "  will  you  allow  me  to  speak  in  your 
presence  ? " 

"  Speak !  "  said  the  Mikado. 

"  The  monster  whose  name  is  Hieyas,"  said  the  Prince, 
"  fears  nothing,  and  insults  the  gods.  But  if  the  com- 
mand which  you  have  just  issued  were  made  known  to 
him  in  the  face  of  all  Japan,  he  would  be  obliged  to  obey, 
and  consent  to  peace." 

"  Explain  yourself,"  said  Go-Mitzou-No. 

"  It  is  with  pain  that  I  confess,"  continued  the  Prince, 
"  that,  in  spite  of  the  many  defeats  he  has  undergone, 
Hieyas  is  still  the  stronger ;  his  allies  increase  daily.  But 
they  would  rapidly  diminish,  and  all  would  soon  abandon 
him,  if  he  should  openly  resist  an  order  universally  known 
to  emanate  from  the  Mikado." 

"  No  doubt  of  that,"  exclaimed  the  ministers  and 
nobles. 


THE   USURPER.  271 

"  What  shall  I  do  ? "  asked  the  Mikado,  turning  to  the 
Prince  of  Nagato. 

"  Sublime  master,"  said  the  Prince,  "  my  opinion  is 
that  you  should  despatch  a  herald  to  proclaim  your  will 
in  every  city  and  village  ;  at  the  same  time  addressing 
to  Fide-Yori  and  Hieyas  a  large  deputation,  charged  to 
inform  them  that  the  war  is  to  cease,  since  such  is  your 
pleasure." 

"  Your  advice  shall  be  followed,"  said  the  Mikado ;  "  it 
is  good.  To  reward  you  for  it,  I  give  you  the  title  of 
Nai-dai-Tsin." 

"  Sire,"  cried  the  Prince,  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  such 
an  honor." 

"  Let  the  envoys  be  sent  off  promptly,"  said  the  Mi- 
kado. "  No  more  war ;  let  us  have  peace  and  repose  as 
of  old.  I  feel  exhausted  by  all  these  emotions,"  he  added 
in  a  lower  tone,  turning  to  the  prime  minister ;  "  it  might 
easily  kill  me." 

They  soon  separated.  On  leaving  the  castle,  the  Prince 
of  Nagato  met  a  messenger  in  search  of  him. 

"Whence  come  you?"  asked  Iwakura. 

«  From  Nagato." 

Then  the  messenger  related  all  the  events  that  had 
occurred  in  that  province,  —  the  various  battles,  the 
taking  of  Hagui,  and  the  capture  of  Fatkoura  by  the 
lord  of  Tosa. 

"What !  "  cried  Nagato,  "  Fatkoura  is  in  the  hands  of 
that  scoundrel,  who  beheads  princes !  I  must  not  delay 
my  vengeance  another  moment.  I  will  set  off  at  once  to 
deliver  her,  and  make  that  infamous  wretch  pay  dearly 
for  his  crimes  and  his  impertinence." 

He  then  inquired  for  his  little  troop,  anxious  to  learn 
how  many  the  skirmish  of  the  morning  had  left  him.  Of 
the  two  hundred  sailors,  eighty  had  been  killed,  and  fifty 


272  THE   USURPER. 

wounded;  about  sixty  being  in  fit  condition  to  resume 
their  march. 

Raiden's  arm  had  been  pierced  by  an  arrow ;  but  the 
bone  was  uninjured.  The  sailor  had  had  his  wound 
dressed,  and  declared  that  it  did  not  pain  him  at  all. 
He  begged  the  Prince  to  let  him  go  with  him. 

"  The  journey  will  do  me  good,"  said  he  ;  "  besides, 
there  are  not  more  than  sixty  of  us.  That 's  very  few  to 
capture  a  kingdom ;  and  in  so  small  a  number,  one  man 
more  or  less  counts  for  something." 

"  I  need  twenty  thousand  men  to  march  against  Tosa," 
said  the  Prince  ;  "  I  shall  ask  the  Shogun  to  let  me  have 
them.  So  you  see  that  you  may  well  afford  yourself  a 
little  rest." 

"  Is  it  because  I  have  not  behaved  well,  that  you  want 
to  drive  me  from  you  1 "  asked  Raiden. 

"No,  brave  servant,"  said  the  Prince,  smiling  ;  "come 
if  you  will.  You  can  stay  at  Osaka  if  your  wound  troubles 
you." 

"  Shall  we  start  at  once  1 "  asked  the  sailor. 

"  Are  you  crazy  1"  cried  the  Prince.  "  We  have  spent 
a  hard  night,  and  a  still  harder  day  ;  you  are  wounded  : 
and  it  never  occurs  to  you  to  take  a  little  rest !  I  con- 
fess that,  if  you  are  indefatigable,  I,  who  am  by  nature 
very  inert,  feel  quite  exhausted." 

"  If  sleep  is  permitted,  I  shall  sleep  with  a  good  will," 
said  Raiden,  laughing ;  "  but  if  you  thought  best  to  start 
off  again,  I  could  have  .held  out  a  little  longer." 

"  "Where  is  Loo  1 "  asked  the  Prince  ;  "  I  lost  sight  of 
him  in  the  thick  of  the  fight." 

"  He 's  asleep  in  a  house  on  the  shore,  and  so  sound 
asleep  that  I  could  pick  him  up  and  carry  him  off  with- 
out his  ever  knowing  it.  That  young  Samurai  earned 
his  sleep  well;  he  snatched  a  gun  from  one  of  our 


THE   USURPER.  273 

dead    comrades,    and    I    hear    that    he    fought   like   a 
little  devil." 

"  Is  he  wounded  ? " 

"  Fortunately,  he  escaped  without  a  scratch." 

"  Well,  go  join  him,  and  take  a  little  repose ;  to-mor- 
row, at  noon,  we  will  start." 

Next  day  Nagato  went  to  take  leave  of  the  Kisaki. 
She  had  returned  to  the  summer-palace,  where  he  found 
her  surrounded  by  her  women. 

"  You  leave  the  city  which  owes  its  triumph  to  you 
so  soon,  and  without  taking  time  for  rest  ? "  she  ex- 
claimed. 

"  I  leave  with  an  aching  heart,"  said  the  Prince ;  "  but 
an  imperative  duty  calls  me.  Before  the  peace  is  signed, 
I  must  avenge  the  insult  to  my  name ;  I  must  save  Fat- 
koura,  my  betrothed." 

"Is  Fatkoura  in  danger?" 

"  She  is  the  prisoner  of  the  Prince  of  Tosa ;  a  messen- 
ger brought  me  the  news  yesterday."  *»,, 

"  Such  reasons  admit  of  no  reply,"  said  the  Queen. 
"  Make  haste  to  punish  that  villain ;  and  may  the  God  of 
Battles  be  with  you." 

Her  voice  trembled  slightly  as  she  spoke :  he  was 
about  to  run  new  dangers ;  to  expose  his  life,  —  perhaps 
to  die. 

"  I  believe  that  I  am  invincible,"  said  Nagato  ;  "  an  all- 
powerful  goddess  protects  me." 

The  Kisaki  forced  herself  to  smile.  "  May  you  triumph, 
and  return  speedily,"  said  she. 

The  Prince  retired.  As  he  left  the  hall  he  fixed  a  last 
lingering  look  upon  her ;  a  singular  feeling  of  disquiet 
chilled  his  blood. 

"  Every  time  that  I  part  from  her  I  feel  as  if  I  should 
never  see  her  again,"  he  muttered. 

18 


274  THE   USURPER. 

She  too  gazed  at  him,  a  prey  to  the  same  anguish; 
she  pressed  to  her  lips  the  tip  of  the  fan  which  the  Prince 
had  given  her. 

He  tore  himself  from  her  presence.  That  very  night 
he  reached  Osaka,  and  went  at  once  to  the  Shogun. 

"  Is  it  you  ! "  joyfully  exclaimed  Fide-Yori.  "  I  did  not 
hope  to  see  you  so  soon ;  your  presence  is  a  consolation 
to  me  amid  the  cares  that  overwhelm  me." 

"What!"  said  Iwakura,  "when  we  are  victorious! 
Why  are  you  sad  1 " 

"  How  can  you  ask  me,  friend  1  True,  Yoke-Moura 
drove  the  enemy  from  the  village  that  they  held  near 
Osaka ;  but  Harounaga  has  just  been  completely  routed 
in  his  retreat  on  Yamashiro.  Two  thirds  of  the  kingdom 
are  in  the  power  of  our  foe." 

"  No  matter !  We  won  the  day  at  Soumiossi ;  we  cast 
confusion  into  the  camp  of  Hieyas;  we  triumphed  at 
Kioto.  And  the  Son  of  the  Gods,  starting  for  a  moment 
from  his  torpor,  is  about  to  order  the  two  parties  to  be 
reconciled." 

"  Hieyas  will  refuse." 

"  He  cannot  refuse ;  he  cannot  revolt  openly  against 
the  Mikado." 

"  He  who  attacked  him  with  such  sacrilegious  daring  ! " 

"  He  attacked  him  to  gain  possession  of  his  person,  and 
dictate  his  own  terms  to  him.  The  Mikado  a  captive 
would  be  a  mere  nobody  ;  the  Mikado  free,  and  grasping 
the  reins  of  power  once  more,  is  omnipotent." 

"  Hieyas  will  impose  conditions  which  I  cannot  accept. 
It  is  his  interest  to  continue  the  war." 

"  Nevertheless,  he  will  be  obliged  to  obey  for  the  mo- 
ment ;  and  our  most  pressing  need  is  a  few  months  of 
respite." 

"  To  be  sure ;  we  could  then  assemble  all  our  forces. 


THE   USURPER.  275 

Communication  is  cut  off;  the  armies  of  the  various  princes 
have  not  arrived." 

"  Are  Signenari  and  his  twenty  thousand  men  still  on 
the  Island  of  Awadsi  1 "  asked  the  Prince. 

"  Still,"  said  the  Shogun  ;  "  and  the  young  General  is 
desperate  at  being  reduced  to  inaction." 

"  I  was  just  going  to  ask  you  to  issue  orders  for  him 
to  open  the  campaign." 

"  What  do  you  mean  1 " 

"  I  have  a  personal  injury  to  avenge.  I  entreat  you  to 
lend  me  that  army." 

"  On  whom  do  you  wish  to  be  revenged,  friend  ? "  said 
the  Shogun. 

"  On  one  of  those  who  betrayed  you,  —  on  the  Prince 
of  Tosa.  He  has  attacked  my  kingdom,  plundered  my 
fortress,  carried  off  my  bride ;  and  deceived  by  a  resem- 
blance into  thinking  he  had  captured  me,  he  refused  the 
man  the  death  of  a  nobleman,  and  cut  off  the  head  of 
one  of  my  servants." 

"  Such  things  can  indeed  only  be  washed  out  in  blood," 
said  Fide-Yori.  "  I  will  give  you  an  order  for  Signenari, 
and  I  put  a  war-junk  at  your  disposal.  I)o  not  spare 
that  infamous  Tosa,  —  that  envious,  cowardly  traitor, 
unworthy  of  the  rank  he  holds." 

"  I  will  raze  his  towers,  burn  his  harvests,  and  kill 
him  as  one  would  butcher  a  hog,"  said  the  Prince  ;  "  only 
regretting  that  he  has  but  one  life  to  pay  for  all  his 
crimes." 

"  May  you  succeed  ! "  said  the  Shogun.  "  Alas !  "  he 
added,  "  I  was  so  glad  to  see  you  ;  and  you  come  only  to 
go  again  !  What  solitude  !  what  an  empty  void  about 
me  !  What  sorrow !  My  heart  is  gnawed  by  a  secret 
grief  which  I  must  not  reveal.  Some  day  I  will  confide 
it  to  you ;  that  will  solace  me." 


276  THE    USURPER. 

The  Prince  raised  his  eyes  to  the  Shogun's  face ;  he 
remembered  that  several  times  before,  a  confession  had 
risen  to  the  King's  lips,  and  had  been  arrested  there  by 
a  sort  of  timid  modesty.  Now,  as  then,  Fide-Yori  was 
embarrassed,  and  turned  away  his  head. 

"  What  can  it  be  1 "  thought  Nagato. 

Then  he  added  aloud  :  "  My  vengeance  once  appeased, 
I  promise  to  leave  you  no  more." 

As  he  left  the  Shogun's  apartments,  the  Prince  of 
Nagato  met  Yodogimi. 

"  Ah  !  you  are  here,  illustrious  victor ! "  she  said, 
bitterly;  "you  come  to  receive  the  praises  due  your 
noble  deeds." 

"  It  is  only  when  falling  from  your  lovely  lips  that 
praise  is  pleasant  to  my  ear,"  said  the  Prince,  bowing 
with  somewhat  exaggerated  politeness ;  "  but  you  favor 
me  with  none  but  rude  and  scornful  words." 

"  If  we  are  enemies,  it  is  your  own  fault,"  said  Yodo- 
gimi. 

"  I  never  wished  to  offend  you  ;  it  was  my  slight  merit 
which  wrought  my  ruin.  You  declared  war  against  me ; 
but  I  never  accepted  the  challenge,  and  I  remained  your 
slave." 

"  A  very  humble  slave  !  who  attracts  all  the  light 
to  himself,  allowing  no  one  else  to  shine  in  his  pres- 
ence ! " 

"Am  I  really  so  resplendent?"  said  the  Prince. 
"  Against  your  will,  you  see,  you  let  fall  the  praises 
which  you  refused  me." 

"  Cease  your  raillery  !  "  cried  Yodogimi.  "  I  seize  this 
opportunity  to  tell  you  that  while  all  the  world  admire 
and  love  you,  I  detest  you." 

"  She  cannot  forgive  me  for  Harounaga's  defeat," 
muttered  the  Prince. 


THE    USURPER.  277 

Yodogimi  withdrew,  hurling  an  angry  glance  at  Nagato. 
The  beautiful  Princess  once  loved  Iwakura  in  secret.  The 
Prince  would  not  see  her  love ;  hence  the  hatred  with 
which  she  pursued  him. 

Nagato  left  the  palace ;  and,  a  few  hours  after,  set  sail 
for  the  Island  of  Awadsi. 


278  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  XXIIL 

FATKOTJRA. 

E  captive  of  the  lord  of  Tosa  found  her  days  long 
and  monotonous.  She  waited  for  her  avenger,  sure 
of  his  coming,  but  impatient  at  the  delay.  She  was  tor- 
mented by  the  love,  steadily  gaining  strength,  with  which 
Toza  pursued  her.  After  the  execution  of  the  man 
whom  he  supposed  to  be  Nagato,  he  had  abstained  from 
visiting  her  ;  then,  seeing  that  Fatkoura's  grief  was  not 
violent,  and  that  she  seemed  resigned,  he  took  courage 
and  renewed  his  importunities.  Sometimes  he  was 
humble,  submissive,  suppliant  ;  sometimes  he  raged  and 
stormed  ;  and  again,  he  would  try  to  melt  her  by  his 
tears.  But  she  was  still  implacable. 

"  Your  tears,"  said  she,  "  are  like  the  tiger's,  when  he 
fears  his  victim  will  escape  him." 

"  You  shall  never  escape  me,"  shouted  Tosa. 

Fatkoura  was  severe  with  Tika  ;  she  saw  that  the  maid 
favored  the  Prince's  love.  Tika  schemed  to  make  her 
mistress  Princess  of  Tosa.  "  The  Prince  of  Nagato  is 
dead  !  "  thought  she.  "  Besides,  Fatkoura  was  quickly 
consoled  for  his  loss." 

"  You  are  free  now,"  she  said  to  her  mistress  one  day ; 
"  you  can  love  the  Prince  of  Tosa." 

"  I  shall  never  love  any  one  but  Iwakura,"  was  the 
young  woman's  answer. 

"  Love  a  dead  man  !     That  won't  last,"  thought  Tika. 


THE   USURPER.  279 

But  from  that  day  forth  Fatkoura  ceased  to  talk  to 
her ;  she  did  not  even  permit  the  girl  to  remain  in  her 
presence.  Tika  wept  outside  the  door ;  her  mistress 
pretended  not  to  hear  her.  Yet  she  missed  her  maid 
more  than  she  was  willing  to  confess.  This  companion 
of  her  misfortunes,  this  confidant  of  her  griefs  and  her 
sorrows,  was  a  necessity  of  her  life.  Captivity  seemed 
harder  to  her  since  she  had  exiled  her  from  her  side ; 
she  especially  missed  the  girl's  conversation.  Finally,  she 
resolved  to  forgive  her,  and  to  confess  to  her  that  the 
Prince  still  lived.  She  accordingly  summoned  her. 

The  repentant  Tika  knelt  in  the  centre  of  the  room, 
hid  her  face  behind  her  flowing  sleeves,  and  her  tears 
fell  fast. 

"  You  will  never  mention  the  Prince  of  Tosa  to  me 
again,"  said  Fatkoura. 

"  Never,  mistress,"  sobbed  Tika ;  "  except  to  curse 
him." 

"  Well,  I  forgive  you.  Talk  to  me  of  my  beloved  as 
you  used  to  do." 

"  Alack  !  he  is  dead,"  said  Tika ;  "  I  can  only  mourn 
with  you." 

"  Don't  you  think  I  was  speedily  consoled  1 " 

Tika,  in  surprise,  looked  up  at  her  mistress,  who 
smiled. 

"  Why,  I  thought  — "  she  stammered,  "  I  thought 
he  was  wrong  to  submit  to  defeat  in  your  presence." 

"  What  if  I  were  to  tell  you  that  he  was  never  defeated, 
that  he  is  alive  —  ." 

"  He  triumphs  over  your  heart ;  he  lives  in  your  ima- 
gination :  that  is  what  you  mean." 

"  No ;  he  still  breathes  the  breath  of  life." 

"  Alas,  that  is  impossible  !  Before  our  eyes  —  I  shudder 
to  think  of  it  still  —  his  ghastly  head  fell  to  the  ground." 


280  THE   USURPER. 

"  That  man,  whose  death  we  witnessed,  was  not 
Iwakura." 

11  Has  grief  affected  her  reason  1 "  thought  Tika,  scruti- 
nizing her  mistress  in  some  alarm. 

"  You  think  me  mad  ?  "  said  Fatkoura.  "  You  shall  see, 
when  he  comes  to  open  the  doors  of  our  prison,  whether 
I  speak  the  truth." 

Tika  dared  not  contradict  her  mistress  ;  she  pretended 
to  believe  that  Nagato  lived.  "  Better  this  strange  hal- 
lucination than  her  former  blank  despair  !  "  she  thought. 

They  then  began  to  talk  of  the  absent  one  as  had  been 
their  wont  in  the  Dairi.  They  recalled  the  words  that 
he  had  spoken,  the  anecdotes  he  had  told.  They  tried  to 
imitate  the  tones  of  his  voice.  They  reconstructed  his 
every  dress,  rehearsed,  his  features,  his  smile,  his  attitude. 
Often  they  would  hold  a  long  discussion  over  some  detail 
or  date,  or  a  simple  phrase  which  he  had  uttered.  In 
this  fashion  the  hours  glided  rapidly  by. 

Every  day  the  Prince  of  Tosa  sent  presents  to  Fat- 
koura, —  flowers,  rare  birds,  marvellous  fabrics.  Every 
day  Fatkoura  let  the  birds  fly,  threw  the  silks  and  flow- 
ers from  the  window.  The  Prince  never  wearied.  At 
noon  he  would  pay  a  visit  to  the  prisoner,  and  discourse 
of  his  love. 

One  day,  however,  he  entered  Fatkoura's  room  with  a 
strange  expression  on  his  face. 

He  dismissed  Tika  with  a  gesture  that  suffered  no 
reply ;  then  he  stepped  towards  Fatkoura,  and  gazed  at 
her  fixedly. 

"You  are  firmly  resolved  to  resist  me  still1?"  said  he, 
after  a  pause. 

"  Now  and  always ;  and  to  hate  as  much  as  I  despise 
you." 

"  That  is  your  final  answer  1     Think  again." 


THE   USURPER.  281 

"  I  do  not  need  to  think.  I  hated  you  from  the  first 
moment  I  saw  you ;  I  shall  hate  you  to  my  death." 

"  Very  well !  "  cried  the  Prince,  in  a  terrible  voice ;  "  I 
can  force  you  to  become  my  wife." 

"  I  defy  you  to  do  so,"  said  Fatkoura,  who  never  quailed 
before  the  Prince's  gaze. 

"  I  will  conquer  you,  I  swear,  as  I  conquered  your 
lover." 

Fatkoura  smiled  scornfully. 

"Yes,"  resumed  the  Prince,  "you  have  exhausted  my 
patience.  My  love  made  me  merciful,  timid,  —  even  shy. 
I  implored,  I  wept,  I  waited !  I  left  your  grief  time  to 
heal.  Your  repeated  refusals  inflamed  my  passion  ;  I  was 
enraged ;  then  I  humbled  myself.  But  I  am  tired  of 
this  prolonged  torture ;  my  prayers  are  over.  No  more 
gentleness,  no  more  tears ;  you  must  henceforth  be  the 
one  to  weep  and  entreat.  For  the  last  time,  will  you 
love  me  1 " 

"  Truly  you  have  a  singular  nature,"  said  Fatkoura. 
"  The  vulture  does  not  seek  gratitude  from  the  bird  he 
strangles  in  his  clutch ;  and  you  insist  on  love  from  a 
woman  whose  husband  you  have  killed  ! " 

"  I  know  that  you  can  never  love  me,"  said  Tosa.  "  Still, 
you  shall  say  that  you  do ;  you  shall  strive  to  make  me 
think  you  do." 

"  I  am  curious  to  learn  what  means  you  will  employ  to 
make  me  say  such  things." 

"  You  will  know  them  soon  enough,"  said  the  Prince, 
withdrawing. 

From  that  day  a  series  of  sufferings  for  the  prisoner 
began.  At  first  they  separated  her  from  Tika,  and  locked 
her  into  her  room ;  then  they  stopped  up  the  windows, 
only  letting  a  few  rays  of  light  enter  from  above.  In 
this  way  Fatkoura  was  deprived  of  seeing  the  gardens, 


282  THE    USURPER. 

and  of  the  cool  evening  air.  She  was  served  with  food 
she  did  not  like.  Gradually,  all  utensils  for  her  personal 
use  disappeared.  Each  day  made  her  situation  worse. 
At  last  none  of  the  servants  would  wait  on  her.  She  was 
put  into  a  prison  cell,  and  finally  removed  to  a  dungeon, 
where  she  had  to  wait  all  day  for  a  bowl  of  cold  rice. 

"  These  are  the  means  he  takes  to  win  my  love  !  "  said 
Fatkoura,  sustained  by  a  hope  of  rescue. 

But  one  day,  abruptly,  these  stern  measures  ceased. 
The  young  woman  was  brought  back  to  the  rooms  which 
she  had  at  first  occupied.  Tika  was  restored  to  her,  and 
seemed  very  happy. 

"  The  province  of  Tosa  is  invaded,"  she  exclaimed. 
"An  army  is  at  hand  ;  we  shall  be  set  free." 

"  I  told  you  he  would  come,  my  lord,  my  beloved 
spouse  ! "  said  Fatkoura.  "  He  comes  to  deliver  us  from 
our  troubles,  and  to  avenge  the  man  who  died  so  bravely 
in  his  place." 

"  I  heard  no  mention  of  any  one  but  General  Signeuari, 
sent  by  the  Shogun." 

"Be  assured  that  Iwakura  is  with  him." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  said  the  girl. 

"  It  is  so  I  shall  see  him  again  at  last !  After  so 
many  trials,  happiness  will  return  !  Is  anything  known 
of  the  fight1?" 

"The  Prince  of  Tosa  set  off  hurriedly.  His  soldiers, 
who  did  not  expect  this  attack,  and  were  resting  on  their 
laurels,  were  completely  beaten.  The  Shogun's  army  is 
but  a  few  leagues  away." 

"  It  will  soon  be  beneath  these  walls,"  said  Fatkoura, 
"  and  we  shall  have  to  undergo  a  second  siege.  But  while 
at  Hagui  we  longed  for  victory,  we  now  tremble  with 
desire  to  be  vanquished." 

Several  days  passed  in  feverish  expectation.     Suddenly, 


THE   USURPER.  283 

the  Prince  of  Tosa's  army,  put  to  rout,  returned  to  the  for- 
tress in  confusion.  The  gates  were  closed,  and  the  siege 
began.  The  assailants,  leaving  the  besieged  no  time  for 
reflection,  stormed  the  place. 

A  terrible  uproar  filled  the  castle.  Within,  were  dis- 
may, continual  coming  and  going,  shouts  and  cries; 
without,  uninterrupted  blows.  Tika  ran  in  search  of 
news ;  returned  ;  then  started  out  again.  On  the  third 
day,  the  soldiers  suddenly  rushed  to  one  point :  a 
breach  was  effected.  Cries  of  discouragement  rose  on 
all  sides. 

"  Better  surrender." 

"  We  can't  hold  out  long." 

«  We  are  lost." 

Towards  noon  the  Prince  of  Tosa  entered  Fatkoura's 
room  abruptly.  She  was  standing  by  the  window,  .look- 
ing out ;  her  face  was  radiant  with  joy.  She  turned,  and 
saw  her  enemy  gazing  at  her  with  folded  arms.  A  sort 
of  instinctive  terror  took  possession  of  her  as  she  beheld 
him.  He  was  pale,  with  a  sinister  expression.  In  his 
right  hand  he  grasped  a  bloody  sword,  which  dripped 
upon  the  floor.  He  quietly  returned  it  to  his  belt. 

"  The  battle  is  lost,"  he  said,  with  a  scowl ;  "  I  am 
conquered." 

"  The  man  whom  you  thought  to  dishonor  is  at  your 
gates,  and  comes  to  chastise  your  crimes,"  said  Fatkoura. 

"Ah  !  You  know  that  Nagato  is  not  dead,"  cried  the 
Prince.  "  But  what  does  it  matter!  He  is  there,  it  is  true  ; 
he  comes  to  deliver  you  :  but  before  he  takes  you  back," 
he  added,  in  tones  of  thunder,  "before  he  crosses  the 
crumbling  walls  of  my  castle,  —  mark  me  well !  —  you 
shall  be  mine." 

Fatkoura  sprang  back,  and  darted  to  the  farthest  corner 
of  the  room. 


284  THE    USURPER. 

"You  may  fancy,"  continued  Tosa,  "that  I  did  not 
abandon  the  field  for  nothing.  The  victors  are  at  my 
heels;  there  is  no  time  to  be  lost  in  idle  entreaties."  As 
he  said  this  he  sprang  towards  her. 

"Help!"  she  shrieked  in  an  agonized  voice  ;  "  Tika, 
help  !  Nagato,  come  to  my  rescue  !  " 

Tosa  laid  his  hand  upon  her  mouth.  "  What 's  the 
use  of  shrieking?"  said  he;  "nobody  will  come.  Sub- 
mit !  for  you  are  mine  at  last ;  you  shall  not  escape  me 
now." 

He  encircled  her  with  his  arms ;  but  all  at  once  he  saw 
something  gleam  above  him.  Fatkoura  had  snatched  a 
dagger  from  the  Prince's  belt. 

"You  are  wrong;  I  shall  escape  you  yet  once  again," 
said  she.  "  My  last  thought  is  for  you,  Iwakura  !  " 

Tosa  uttered  a  loud  cry.  He  saw  the  dagger  buried  to 
the  hilt  in  the  young  woman's  breast ;  then  she  drew  it 
out  and  threw  it  to  the  ground. 

At  that  instant  the  panel  which  closed  the  entrance 
flew  in  splinters.  The  Prince  of  Nagato,  sword  in  hand, 
rushed  into  the  room  and  leaped  upon  the  Prince  of 
Tosa. 

"  Ah,  wretch  ! "  he  shouted  ;  "  you  insult  your  captive 
and  my  betrothed  !  You  add  this  unparalleled  crime  to 
all  your  former  misdeeds  !  But  the  hour  of  vengeance  is 
at  hand ;  the  earth  shall  be  rid  of  you  ! " 

Toza  had  drawn  his  sword ;  he  struck  it  against  Na- 
gato's  blade.  But  he  shuddered ;  a  superstitious  fear 
froze  his  blood  ;  he  felt  that  he  was  about  to  die. 

Iwakura,  with  irresistible  force,  drove  him  back  to  the 
other  side  of  the  room,  and  brought  him  to  a  stand  against 
the  wall.  Tosa,  with  bloodshot  eyes,  glared  wildly  at  his 
foe  ;  he  could  but  ill  defend  himself.  Nagato  dashed  the 
sword  from  his  hand. 


THE   USURPER.  285 

"  Now  you  shall  die  ! "  he  cried ;  "  I  will  kill  you,  — 
not  as  a  man  frees  himself  of  a  loyal  enemy,  but  as  he 
would  crush  a  scorpion."  And  with  one  fearful  blow,  he 
nailed  him  to  the  wall  by  the  throat. 

Fatkoura  had  not  fallen.  She  stood  leaning  against 
the  wall,  her  hand  pressed  to  her  wound.  The  blood 
gushed  between  her  fingers.  The  Prince  of  Nagato  left 
his  enemy  writhing  in  awful  agony,  and  ran  to  her ;  he 
saw  the  blood  flowing  in  rivers. 

"  What  is  it  ? "  he  cried. 

"  I  am  dying,"  said  Fatkoura. 

She  sank  to  the  ground.  The  Prince  knelt  beside  her, 
and  supported  her  on  his  knees. 

"  Is  there  no  one  here  1 "  he  cried.  "  Let  some  one 
bring  a  doctor." 

"  I  implore  you,"  said  Fatkoura,  "  do  not  call ;  nothing 
can  heal  my  wound.  It  was  to  prevent  a  stain  upon  your 
name  that  I  struck  home ;  I  cannot  be  saved.  Let  no  one 
enter ;  let  me  die  by  your  side,  as  I  could  not  live  there." 

"  Unfortunate  girl !  and  I  have  brought  you  to  this  !  " 
cried  the  Prince.  "  You  die  for  me  after  a  life  of  suffer- 
ing, —  you,  so  fair,  so  young,  and  so  formed  for  happiness? 
Ah  !  why  was  I  placed  upon  your  path  1 " 

"  I  was  happy  for  a  time,"  said  Fatkoura,  "  very  happy ; 
for  you  seemed  to  love  me.  But  I  have  dearly  paid  for 
those  days  of  joy.  What  did  I  do  to  you,  cruel  one,  that 
you  should  desert  me  as  you  did  ] " 

"  You  guessed  the  reason,  sweet  Princess.  An  all- 
powerful,  invincible  love  turned  me  from  yoii ;  my  will 
refused  to  obey  my  reason  any  longer." 

"  Yes  !  how  can  we  struggle  against  love  1  I  know  the 
power  it  gains,  I,  who  vainly  strove  to  hate  you.  Yes  ! 
you  have  felt  those  sharp  pangs,  that  aimless  expectation, 
those  fevered  dreams,  those  hopes  that  would  not  die ;  • 


286  THE   USURPER. 

you  have  known  those  sobs  which  would  not  be  stifled, 
those  tears  that  burned  like  drops  of  fire.  A  prey  to 
hopeless  love,  you  suffered  as  I  did.  Is  it  not  frightful, 
and  can  you  not  pity  me  1 " 

"I  would  give  my  life  to  repair  the  harm  I  have  done 
you." 

"  There  is  no  rest  by  night  or  day,  is  there  1  It  seems 
as  if  you  were  at  the  foot  of  a  precipice  lined  with  steep 
rocks,  which  you  fain  would  climb,  yet  fall  back  again 
and  again.  But  I  am  mad,"  added  Fatkoura ;  "  your 
suffering  was  nothing  as  compared  to  mine,  for  you  were 
loved." 

The  Prince  started. 

"Yes,  she  loved  you;  I  know  it,"  resumed  Fatkoura, 
with  a  faint  sigh.  "  Do  you  think  that  the  jealous  eye  of 
the  woman  you  scorned  could  fail  to  read  her  face  1  —  how 
its  pride  died  away  when  she  looked  at  you  ;  how  her 
voice,  against  her  will,  would  soften  when  she  spoke  to 
you ;  what  happy  tremors  when  you  came,  what  sadness 
when  you  went !  I  watched  and  noted  all;  each  discovery 
was  like  a  sword  thrust  into  my  heart ;  rage,  hate,  and 
love  devoured  my  soul.  No,  you  never  suffered  as  I  did." 

"  Do  not  overwhelm  me,  Fatkoura  !  "  said  the  Prince. 
"  I  did  not  deserve  such  love ;  see  how  I  have  rewarded 
it !  You  are  dying  for  my  sake,  and  I  cannot  save  you. 
The  horrible  grief  that  rends  me  at  this  moment  avenges 
you  for  much  of  the  suffering  that  I  have  caused 
you." 

"  I  am  happy  now,"  said  Fatkoura.  "  I  might  have 
died  before  you  came ;  and  I  am  with  you." 

"  But  you  shall  not  die ! "  cried  the  Prince.  "  Am  I 
mad,  that  I  stand  here,  stunned  by  horror,  instead  of 
bringing  you  help,  or  having  your  wound  dressed  ?  You 
are  young ;  you  will  recover." 


THE    USURPER.  287 

"  Why  should  1 1 "  said  Fatkoura.  "Would  you  love 
me  then  1 " 

"  I  would  love  you  then  as  now,  with  an  infinite  affec- 
tion." 

"  With  a  brother's  love,"  Fatkoura  whispered,  with  a 
bitter  smile.  "  Let  me  die." 

"  Alas  !  that  blood  which  flows  so  fast,  and  bears  your 
life  with  it !  "  exclaimed  the  Prince,  frantic  with  grief. 

He  begaik  to  utter  frenzied  shouts.  They  were  heard. 
Soldiers  and  servants  rushed  in.  General  Signenari  also 
appeared,  still  stained  with  blood  from  the  battle.  All 
stood  aside,  to  let  him  pass. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Prince  ] "  he  cried. 

"  A  doctor,  for  Heaven's  sake,  and  at  once  ! "  said 
Nagato.  "  My  betrothed  has  stabbed  herself,  to  escape 
the  outrages  of  the  infamous  Tosa;  she  is  dying." 

Fatkoura  had  fainted. 

The  palace  doctor  soon  came.  He  bared  the  wound, 
and  when  he  saw  it,  he  looked  anything  but  encouraging. 
"  She  did  not  spare  herself,"  he  said. 

"  Can  she  be  saved  ] "  asked  the  Prince  of  Nagato. 

The  doctor  shook  his  head.  "  I  think  not,"  said  he ; 
"  the  steel  went  in  too  deep.  If  I  were  to  dress  the 
wound,  I  might  stanch  the  blood  ;  but  it  would  still  flow 
from  within,  and  suffocate  her." 

"  And  if  you  do  not  stanch  the  wound  1 " 

"  She  will  die  in  a  very  few  moments." 

The  doctor  brought  the  edges  of  the  wound  together. 
As  he  touched  the  sensitive  spot,  Fatkoura  never  stirred. 
He  shook  his  head  again.  "A  bad  sign,"  he  mut- 
tered. 

"When  the  dressing  was  done,  he  forced  between  the 
young  woman's  lips  the  neck  of  a  small  bottle  holding  a 
strengthening  cordial,  and  made  her  drink  it.  Fatkoura 


288  THE   USURPER. 

soon  reopened  her  eyes;  she  still  lay  across  Nagato's 
knees.  Tika  sobbed  at  her  feet.  She  cast  an  uneasy 
look  at  those  who  filled  the  room ;  with  a  slow  and 
painful  gesture  signed  to  them  to  go.  Signenari  dis- 
missed them,  and  withdrew ;  only  the  doctor  and  Tika 
remained. 

"  You  disobeyed  me,  Iwakura,"  said  the  dying  girl  in 
a  voice  which  grew  ever  weaker  ;  "  why  did  you  call  in 
help  ] " 

"  To  save  you." 

"  I  am  lost.  Saved,  rather,"  she  added  ;  "  what  should 
I  do  in  this  world  ?  " 

Spasms  seized  her ;  she  stretched  out  her  arms ;  the 
blood  choked  her.  "  Air  !  "  she  gasped. 

Tika  flew  to  open  all  the  windows,  and  her  mistress 
saw  her. 

"  Good-by,  Tika,"  she  said  ;  "  you  see  that  he  was  not 
defeated,  that  he  was  not  dead  !  We  shall  never  talk  of 
him  again." 

The  girl  wept,  with  her  face  buried  in  her  hands.  Fat- 
koura  raised  her  eyes  to  the  Prince. 

"  Let  me  look  at  you,"  she  said  ;  "  it  is  so  long  since 
my  eyes  have  mirrored  your  image.  How  handsome  you 
are,  my  beloved  !  —  You  know,"  she  went  on,  turning  to 
the  doctor,  "  he  is  my  husband.  He  came  to  set  me  free ; 
but  Tosa  would  have  outraged  me,  and  I  killed  myself." 

She  spoke  in  a  dull,  broken  voice,  growing  weaker  and 
weaker.  Her  eyes  opened  wide  ;  a  waxen  pallor  over- 
spread her  face. 

"  You  will  speak  of  me  to  your  father,  Iwakura,"  she 
resumed ;  "  he  loved  me  well  !  I  told  him  that  I  should 
never  see  the  castle  again.  I  was  almost  happy  there.  I 
saw  the  room  where  you  were  born,  your  baby  dresses 
—  Ah  !  I  have  loved  you  fondly  !  " 


THE   USURPER.  289 

She  gasped ;  drops  of  sweat  stood  on  her  brow.  She 
tore  the  bandage  from  her  wound. 

"  Iwakura !  "  she  said,  "  I  cannot  see  you ;  lean  over 
me  —  nearer  —  Ah  !  "  she  shrieked,  "  to  go  when  he  is 
here  ! " 

"  She  is  dying  !  "  cried  the  agonized  Prince. 

"  She  is  dead,"  said  the  doctor. 

Tika  uttered  a  howl  of  grief.  The  Prince  hid  his  face 
in  his  hands. 

"  All  her  sufferings  are  over  now,"  said  the  doctor ; 
"  she  is  at  rest,  and  forgets  her  troubles  in  the  serene 
tranquillity  of  the  last  sleep." 


19 


290  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

THE  TREATY  OF  PEACE. 

HIEYAS  consented  to  close  the  war;  but,  as  Fide- 
Yori  predicted,  his  terms  were  hard. 

"  I  demand,"  he  said,  "  the  execution  of  one  of  the 
three  following  alternatives  :  let  Fide-Yori  give  up  the 
fortress,  and  spend  seven  years  at  Yamato  ;  let  me  receive 
Yodogimi  as  hostage  ;  or  let  the  walls  of  Osaka  be  razed, 
and  the  moats  filled  up." 

The  last  proposition  only  was  received  with  favor  by 
the  assembled  generals  in  council  of  war.  But  Yoke- 
Moura  regarded  the  destruction  of  the  ramparts  as  almost 
sacrilegious. 

"  This  peace  will  not  last  long,"  said  he ;  "  and  if 
the  war  is  renewed,  what  will  become  of  us  with  our 
dismantled  castle  1  " 

There  was  a  question  of  letting  Yodogimi  go. 

"  My  mother  !  How  can  you  think  of  such  a  thing?  " 
cried  the  Shogun.  "  Such  a  hostage  once  in  his  hands, 
we  should  cease  to  be  aught  but  the  slaves  of  Hieyas." 

"  True,"  exclaimed  General  Harouuaga ;  "  it  is  im- 
possible." 

"  Our  walls  once  destroyed,  we  are  left  defenceless. 
War  is  preferable  to  such  a  peace,"  broke  in  Yoke- 
Moura.  He  would  willingly  have  surrendered  Yodogimi ; 
he  cared  but  little  for  a  woman. 


THE   USURPER.  291 

"  Hieyas  specifies,"  said  some  one,  "that  the  moats 
are  to  be  filled  up  in  such  a  way  that  children  of  three 
can  run  up  and  down  into  them  at  play." 

"  Ten  thousand  laborers  are  to  be  set  to  work  on  the 
walls  in  all  haste,"  said  another. 

Yoke-Moura  sighed. 

"  We  must  accept  that  condition,"  said  the  Shogun  ; 
"  we  are  forced  to  do  so.  At  the  least  suspicion  of  war, 
we  can  build  up  the  walls  and  dig  out  the  moats  again." 

"As  you  insist,"  said  Yoke-Moura,  "I  will  follow 
your  advice;  let  us  demolish  the  fortress." 

"  Let  General  Signenari  proceed  to  Hieyas'  camp  to 
exchange  treaties  of  peace  ;  he  will  represent  me  worthily ; 
and,  I  am  sure,  will  acquit  himself  nobly  in  this  delicate 
affair." 

"  I  will  strive  to  deserve  the  trust  with  which  you 
honor  me,"  said  Signenari.  "  I  await  your  orders  to 
depart." 

"  You  have  scarcely  sheathed  the  sword  with  which  you 
punished  the  province  of  Tosa,"  said  the  Shogun ;  "  if  you 
require  a  day's  rest,  take  it." 

"  I  will  start  this  evening,"  said  Signenari.  That  same 
day,  in  fact,  the  young  General,  accompanied  by  a  large 
and  splendid  escort,  set  off  for  the  camp  of  Hieyas. 

Hieyas,  after  the  burning  of  the  forest,  in  which  a  part 
of  his  men  perished,  had  taken  up  his  quarters  on  the 
neighboring  plain.  He  was  unwilling  to  abandon  a 
position  so  near  Osaka.  When  reinforcements  reached 
him,  he  marched  against  Harounaga,  who  still  occupied 
Soumiossi.  The  General  was  beaten,  and  his  army  routed. 
Hieyas,  however,  left  only  an  advance-guard  in  the  con- 
quered territory,  and  returned  to  his  camp,  where  he 
received  the  decree  of  peace  emanating  from  the  Mikado. 
He  then  summoned  several  of  the  lords  of  his  council,  — 


292  THE    USURPER. 

Owari,  Dathe,  Todo,  Corroda.  All  agreed  that  it  was 
impossible  to  resist  the  command  of  the  Son  of  the  Gods  ; 
that  they  must  feign  to  yield,  but  create  some  obstacle 
to  the  signing  of  the  treaty. 

"  Let  us  manage  to  make  Fide-Yori  refuse  to  sign  the 
treaty  of  peace,"  said  Hieyas.  "  In  that  way  the  wrath 
of  Heaven  will  fall  on  his  head." 

To  his  great  surprise,  he  was  informed  of  the  arrival 
of  an  envoy  from  Osaka  ;  then  Fide-Yori  accepted  the 
terms  he  offered. 

"  Whom  has  he  sent  ? "  asked  Hieyas. 

"  General  Signenari.'* 

The  young  warrior,  whose  heroism  was  well  known, 
inspired  even  his  enemies  with  profound  esteem.  When 
he  rode  through  the  camp  in  his  military  dress,  the 
sovereign  princes  saluted  him  ;  but  Signenari  paid  no 
heed  to  their  greetings. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  haughty  bearing  1 "  asked 
a  nobleman. 

"  He  represents  the  Shogun,  Fide-Yori ;  he  cannot 
return  a  salute." 

He  was  conducted  to  the  master's  tent.  Hieyas  was 
seated  at  the  back  on  a  folding-stool ;  to  right  and 
left  of  him,  mats  were  spread  upon  the  ground.  The 
princes  and  generals  were  present.  Signenari  was 
invited  to  take  his  place  with  the  princes ;  but  he  did 
not  seem  to  understand,  and  sat  down  opposite  Hieyas. 

"  That  is  right,"  said  one  of  the  lords,  in  a  low  voice  ; 
"  that  warrior,  young  as  he  is,  has  already  acquired  the 
dignity  and  prudence  of  a  veteran." 

Signenari  unrolled  a  paper. 

"  These  are  the  words  of  my  master,  the  Shogun  Fide- 
Yori,  son  of  the  Shogun  Taiko-Sama,"  said  he.  And  he 
read  the  roll,  which  he  held  in  both  hands  :  — 


THE   USURPER.  293 

"  I,  Fide-Yori,  general-in- chief  of  the  armies  of  the  Mikado, 
in  order  to  put  an  end  to  the  unjust  war  declared  against  me  by 
Hieyas,  which  lays  the  kingdom  waste,  consent  to  accept  one  of 
the  alternatives  proposed  by  my  opponent  for  the  conclusion  of 
peace  :  I  will  destroy  the  outer  wall  of  the  fortress  of  Osaka,  and  I 
will  fill  up  the  moats  ;  therefore  all  hostilities  are  to  cease,  and 
arms  to  be  laid  down. 

"  I  write  this  in  all  sincerity,  on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  second 
moon  of  the  autumn,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the  Nengo-Kai-Tio, 
and  I  sign  with  my  blood. 

"  FiDE-YORI." 

"  If  this  be  so,"  said  Hieyas,  in  his  weak  and  trem- 
bling voice,  "  I  agree  to  the  peace." 

He  ordered  writing  materials  to  be  brought,  and  dic- 
tated to  a  secretary  :  — 

"  I,  Minamoto  Hieyas,  proclaimed  Shogun  by  the  predecessor  of 
Go-Mitzou-No,  in  the  name  of  the  Shogun  Fide-Tadda,  in  whose 
favor  I  have  abdicated,  consent  to  put  an  end  to  the  war,  on  condi- 
tion that  Fide-Yori  has  the  walls  of  the  castle  of  Osaka  pulled  down 
and  the  moats  filled  up  in  such  fashion  that  children  of  three  may 
run  up  and  down  into  them  at  play." 

A  new  brush  and  a  long  needle  were  then  handed  to 
Hieyas,  with  which  he  was  to  prick  the  tip  of  his  finger 
and  sign  in  his  own  blood.  He  pricked  himself  slightly, 
and  only  obtained  a  small,  pale  drop  ;  still,  he  signed,  and 
the  treaty  was  handed  to  Signenari. 

"  That  will  not  do,"  said  the  General,  glancing  at  the 
document ;  "  the  writing  is  too  pale.  Your  name  is 
illegible  ;  try  again." 

"But,"  said  Hieyas,  "I  am  old;  I  am  weak  and  ill; 
to  me  a  drop  of  blood  is  very  precious." 

Signenari  pretended  not  to  hear.  Hieyas,  with  a  sigh, 
pricked  himself  afresh,  and  retraced  his  signature  ;  then 
only  did  the  young  General  give  him  the  treaty  signed 
by  Fide-Yori. 


294  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTEE  XXV. 

CONFIDENCES. 

TT^RANTIC  mirth  pervaded  Osaka.  That  city  of 
-*-  pleasure,  of  luxury,  and  of  perpetual  feasts  detested 
war,  political  quarrels,  mourning,  —  everything  that  pre- 
vented amusement ;  diversion  being  the  chief  aim  of  the 
inhabitants.  And  now  the  war  was  over  !  *The  faces 
lengthened  by  sorrow  and  alarm  could  be  exchanged  for 
the  laughing,  radiant  visages  of  joy.  At  the  first  news 
of  peace,  the  whole  town  began  to  dance  :  sailors  on  the 
quays  of  the  Yedogawa,  merchants  on  their  doorsteps, 
and  servants  in  the  palace  courtyards.  Nor  were  rich 
citizens,  officials,  and  nobles  less  delighted,  if  they  were 
somewhat  more  reserved  in  the  expression  of  their  joy. 
The  princesses  particularly  were  enchanted  ;  confined  in 
their  palaces,  separated  from  their  husbands,  they  seemed 
to  grow  old  during  the  war.  They  waked  as  from  a 
nightmare.  At  last  they  were  permitted  to  be  beautiful 
once  more,  to  smile,  and  to  adorn  themselves. 

They  flew  to  their  great  lacquer-chests,  scattering  odors 
of  musk  and  sandal-wood  as  they  pulled  out  the  magnifi- 
cent robes  which  they  had  packed  away,  in  order  to  array 
themselves  in  gowns  of  more  sombre  hues.  The  floors 
were  strewn  with  a  picturesque  medley  of  satin,  silk  and 
crape  of  the  most  delicate  tints.  But  on  inspection, 
regarding  these  garments  as  faded  and  tumbled,  they  sent 
for  dealers,  tailors,  and  embroidering  women. 


THE   USURPER.  295 

On  the  very  evening  of  the  promulgation  of  the  peace, 
the  Court  announced  a  water-party,  to  which  all  the 
wealthy  inhabitants  of  Osaka  were  invited.  Excitement 
ran  riot.  There  was  very  little  time  for  preparation,  or 
for  trimming  the  boats. 

Evening  came  ;  the  river  was  lighted  up.  Thousands 
of  boats,  decked  with  wreaths  of  lanterns,  left  the  river 
banks  and  glided  slowly  off,  some  up,  some  down  the 
stream. 

The  royal  barks  soon  appeared.  Larger  and  hand- 
somer than  the  others,  they  were  carpeted  with  silken 
fabrics,  which  hung  over  and  dragged  in  the  water,  and 
lighted  by  huge  round  lanterns  of  gauze  or  painted  glass, 
surrounded  by  the  variegated  nutter  of  countless  banners. 
Undej*  the  shelter  of  superb  awnings,  in  the  soft  light  of 
the  lamps,  lay  graceful  women,  carelessly  stretched  upon 
cushions,  amidst  the  ample  folds  of  their  flowing  robes. 
The  embroidery  of  their  kirimons  glittered,  and  the  great 
shining  pins  in  their  hair  gleamed.  Nobles  sat  beside 
them,  uttering  a  thousand  nothings,  at  which  they  laughed 
and  threw  back  their  heads.  Luminous  ripples  danced 
upon  the  waves. 

At  the  broadest  part  of  the  river,  where  the  hills  are 
cut  into  terraces  for  a  long  distance,  fire-works  were 
arranged  on  frames  :  they  were  to  be  sent  off  on  the 
arrival  of  the  Court.  A  vast  crowd  of  noisy,  merry 
people  were  stationed  on  the  terraces  to  see  the  festiv- 
ities. The  spectators,  some  standing,  others  seated  or 
lying  down,  carried  every  one  a  lantern,  and  took  part 
in  the  illumination.  Barrels  of  saki  were  plentiful ;  they 
rolled  down  the  hills  ;  they  pitched  and  tumbled  about 
amid  shouts  and  laughter.  Some  fell  into  the  water :  it 
was  quite  a  farce  to  pull  them  out ;  some  sank  ;  but  still 
everybody  was  soon  intoxicated. 


296  THE    USURPER. 

Fide-Yori  was  present  in  disguise.  With  the  Prince 
of  Nagato,  he  occupied  a  light  skiff  carrying  one  faint 
light.  Two  men  standing  in  the  prow  steered.  Half 
lying  on  their  cushions,  the  friends  silently  watched  the 
boats  as  they  came  and  went. 

The  clear  voice  of  the  singers  of  national  legends  was 
heard,  accompanied  by  the  biva  or  the  samsin.  Bands 
of  music  passed,  and  drowned  with  their  noisy  bray 
the  sweet  feminine  tones.  But  suddenly  the  fire-works 
blazed  out,  rockets  shot  through  the  air,  Bengal  lights 
exploded,  and  let  fall  a  shower  of  stars.  Once  begun,  the 
fire-works  knew  no  interruption ;  the  show-pieces  were 
renewed  as  fast  as  they  vanished  in  smoke.  There  was 
a  constant  hiss,  and  crack,  and  sparkle. 

The  boat  which  bore  Fide-Yori  crossed  that  in  which 
sat  his  mother,  Yodogimi.  The  Princess,  in  a  flood  of 
light,  appeared  in  a  dazzling  toilette.  Her  boat  was 
entirely  draped  in  gold  brocade ;  the  purple  satin  awning 
had  pearl  tassels  at  each  corner.  General  Harounaga, 
completely  drunk,  laughed  noisily,  lolling  on  a  pile  of 
cushions.  The  Shogun  turned  away  his  head,  and  the 
boat  passed.  Fide-Yori  still  heard  the  soldier's  shouts 
of  laughter  ringing  in  his  ears. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  was  lost  in  revery;  he  saw 
nothing  but  the  reflection  of  the  lights  in  the  water.  He 
seemed  to  behold  the  glow  of  burning  coals,  of  jewels, 
of  flames  and  of  molten  metal.  But  he  tore  himself 
from  his  dream,  thinking  that  the  silence  had  lasted  too 
long,  and  raised  his  eyes  to  the  Shogun.  Fide-Yori's 
face  expressed  a  deep  melancholy ;  however,  the  young 
man  examined  every  boat  that  passed,  with  an  eager 
look. 

Nagato  watched  him  for  some  moments.  "  Whom 
does  he  seek  1 "  he  wondered. 


THE   USURPER.  297 

Fide-Yori  was  evidently  looking  for  some  one ;  he 
heaved  a  heavy  sigh  every  time  that  he  was  disappointed 
in  his  hope. 

"  Master,"  said  Iwakura  at  last,  "  the  whole  nation 
rejoices  to-day.  I  thought  that  sorrow  found  shelter  in 
my  heart  alone ;  but  I  see  that  you  have  kept  your  share 
of  it." 

"  I  ought  indeed  to  look  happy,"  said  Fide-Yori,  "  but, 
to  you,  I  show  myself  as  I  am.  I  have  an  aching  heart, 
my  friend,  and  nothing  can  allay  my  pain.  The  kingdom 
is  at  peace,  but  I  am  not  1 " 

"  What  is  it,  my  beloved  prince  1 "  said  Nagato  ;  "  do 
you  not  remember  that,  a  few  days  ago,  you  promised  to , 
confide  your  grief  to  me  1 " 

"  I  have  long  desired  to  do  so.  I  know  not  what 
strange  restraint  has  prevented  me.  I  felt  as  if  the  emo- 
tion, at  once  so  bitter  and  so  sweet,  which  I  now  ex- 
perience for  the  first  time,  should  be  told  to  no  one 
until  she  who  inspires  it  had  heard  my  tale." 

"  You  are  in  love,  friend  ;  I  suspected  it.  But  why 
should  you  suffer  from  your  love  1 " 

"  The  woman  I  love  saved  my  life.  I  never  saw  her 
but  once.  Her  name  is  Omiti ;  that  is  all  I  know  of  her," 
said  the  Shogun. 

"  Poor  dear  Prince  ! "  cried  Nagato  ;  "  and  you  were 
never  able  to  trace  her  ? " 

"Alas,  no!  " 

"  Do  you  know  to  what  class  she  belongs  ? " 

"  She  is  the  daughter  of  a  noble,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "  her 
language  and  her  dress  told  me  that.  But  were  she  the 
lowest  reprobate,  if  ever  Heaven  permit  me  to  find  her, 
she  shall  be  my  wife." 

"  We  will  seek  her  together,"  said  Nagato. 

"I  seek  her  even  now  in  the  midst  of  this  crowd. 


298  THE   USURPER. 

Every  boat  that  passes,  laden  with  women,  quickens  the 
beating  of  my  heart." 

"Then  you  think  that  she  lives  in  Osaka1?"  said  the 
Prince  of  Nagato. 

"  I  hope  and  think  so,"  said  Fide-Yori. 

"  Then  she  is  certainly  at  this  festival.  What  young 
girl  would  stay  at  home  to-day  1 " 

"  So  I  thought,  friend,"  replied  the  Shogun ;  "  that  is 
why  I  am  here." 

"  Come,  give  me  a  hasty  sketch  of  her  whom  you 
love,"  said  Nagato,  "so  that  I  may  help  you  in  your 
search." 

"  She  is  full  of  exquisite  grace ;  small ;  her  eyes  are 
very  large ;  she  has  a  childish  air ;  her  smile  is  a  flower 
wet  with  dew." 

"  The  portrait  is  somewhat  lacking  in  detail,"  said 
Iwakura,  smiling.  "Never  mind;  let  us  look  for  her; 
you  are  here  to  correct  the  errors  that  I  make." 

They  ordered  their  men  to  row  rapidly,  and  to  traverse 
every  part  of  the  river  furrowed  by  illuminated  boats. 
Their  light  skiff  flew  over  the  water  like  a  swallow.  It 
went,  came,  glided  from  one  side  of  the  stream  to  the 
opposite  shore,  never  coming  in  contact  with  any  other. 
Not  one  craft  escaped  the  eager  scrutiny  of  the  two 
friends;  but  their  search  was  in  vain. 

"  Her  name  is  Omiti ;  you  know  nothing  more  1 "  asked 
Nagato. 

"Nothing;  but  I  fancy  that  the  family  to  which  she 
belongs  is  hostile  to  me.  When  she  told  me  of  the  exis- 
tence of  a  conspiracy,  she  refused  to  give  me  the  names 
of  its  authors." 

"Ah!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Nagato,  "just  see  that 
girl  over  there.  Is  n't  she  the  very  one  you  are  looking 
for  1  I  never  saw  such  lovely  eyes." 


THE    USURPER.  299 

Fide-Yori  turned  quickly.  "Bah! "said  he,  "you're 
mocking  me  ;  her  lips  are  thick,  and  her  nose  is  flat." 

"  So  they  are,"  said  Nagato.  "  Forgive  me ;  she  looked 
pretty  from  a  distance." 

Their  boat  reached  the  point  where  the  river  widened, 
and  where  fire-works  continued  to  shoot  heavenward. 

Fide-Yori,  in  his  turn,  uttered  a  loud  exclamation. 
Through  a  score  of  blazing  rockets  he  thought  he  spied 
Omiti's  face  ;  and  he  was  not  mistaken.  "  There,  there  ! " 
he  cried  ;  "  follow  that  boat ;  hurry  !  " 

The  rowers  hastily  tacked ;  but  they  had  to  make 
a  detour ;  the  great  rafts  from  which  the  fire-works 
were  sent  off  blocked  the  way.  When  they  had  passed 
them,  no  one  knew  which  boat  they  were  to  follow. 
Fide-Yori  had  observed  nothing  but  the  maiden's  face  ; 
he  saw  it  no  longer.  He  had  noticed  neither  the  num- 
ber of  lanterns  nor  the  colors  of  the  banners.  Besides, 
just  at  this  point  there  was  such  a  bewildering  array  of 
boats  of  every  shape  and  size,  that  it  was  impossible  to 
move. 

Fide-Yori  trembled  with  agitation  and  alarm. 

"She  will  escape  me,"  said  he.  "Must  I  find  her 
only  to  lose  her,  after  waiting  so  long  1  " 

"  Did  you  see  which  way  the  boat  went  ] "  asked 
Iwakura. 

"  I  thought  it  went  up  stream." 

"  Well,  let  us  row  that  way,  then ;  they  can  't  have 
gone  far.  One  is  fairly  held  captive  here.  We  shall  find 
her  again." 

Fide-Yori  took  courage.  "  Row  up  the  river,"  he  cried 
to  his  men.  The  young  Shogun  leaned  over  the  edge 
and  gazed  eagerly  about.  Several  people  recognized 
him.  ISfambers  of  princesses  of  the  royal  household, 
lords,  and  generals  passed  close  by  him.  He  saw  his 


300  THE   USURPER. 

mother  and  General  Harounaga  again ;  but  the  face  he 
sought  had  vanished. 

"  Perhaps  we  were  too  hasty,"  said  he. 

They  retraced  their  course ;  then  went  up  stream  once 
more. 

"  The  festivities  are  almost  over ! "  Fide-Yori  cried, 
suddenly.  "Let  us  go  to  the  outskirts  of  the  throng 
and  wait  for  that  boat;  when  it  makes  for  home,  it  must 
pass  us." 

"  Which  way  shall  we  go  1 "  said  Nagato. 

"  Towards  the  upper  town  ;  there  are  no  houses  of 
nobles  in  the  direction  of  the  sea." 

They  waited  in  vain  ;  the  boat  did  not  appear.  It  had 
gone  down  the  river,  and  proceeded  towards  the  suburbs. 
Fide-Yori  went  back  to  the  palace  discouraged.  The 
Prince  of  Nagato  tried  to  console  him. 

"  Are  you  very  sure  that  the  woman  you  saw  was  the 
one  you  are  looking  for  ] "  said  he. 

"  Sure  !  "  cried  Fide-Yori.  "  I  never  saw  her  face  but 
once  ;  but  my  eyes  can  never  forget  it." 

"  Then,"  said  the  Prince,  "  instead  of  being  sad,  re- 
joice. You  only  imagined  that  she  lived  in  this  city  ; 
now  you  are  certain  she  does.  So  we  are  sure  of  find- 
ing her.  You  must  give  another  entertainment,  and  she 
will  be  there." 

"You  are  right,  friend,"  said  Fide-Yori;  "you  shall 
help  me ;  we  will  search  the  city.  We  will  find  her  yet ; 
she  shall  be  my  .  wife.  Then  my  life,  which  has  been 
but  a  series  of  sorrows  and  disillusions,  will  begin  to 
brighten.  Let  us  start  to-morrow,  eh  ?  We  '11  open  the 
campaign  before  a  new  festival  can  be  arranged ;  we  will 
study  the  city,  district  by  district ;  we  '11  wrest  her  secret 
from  her.  Oh  !  you  have  given  me  fresh  courage  ;  you 
have  almost  made  me  happy ! " 


THE   USURPER.  301 

Hope  illumined  the  young  Shogun's  eyes,  a  smile  trem- 
bled on  his  lips.  All  at  once  a  cloud  darkened  his  brow. 
"How  cruel  and  selfish  I  am!"  he  exclaimed.  "You, 
my  best  friend,  my  devoted  brother,  have  just  lost  the 
woman  whom  you  love ;  she  died  a  frightful  death.  And 
I  insult  your  grief  by  talking  of  my  love  and  my  hopes. 
How  dare  I  be  gay  when  you  are  wretched  ! " 

"  Master,"  said  Nagato,  "  I  feel  a  deep  regret  for  the 
woman  who  died  for  my  sake ;  I  cherished  a  broth- 
erly affection  for  her.  But  my  betrothed  was  not  my 
beloved." 

"  What  do  I  hear  ] "  cried  Fide-Yori ;  "  you  lift  a  great 
weight  from  my  heart.  I  supposed  you  were  crushed  for- 
ever. Then  you  may  be  happy  yet,  as  well  as  I." 

Iwakura  shook  his  head.  "  My  love  is  made  up  of 
light  and  shade,"  said  he.  "I  can  never  be  entirely 
happy ;  it  is  composed  half  of  celestial  bliss,  and  half  of 
utter  misery.  Such  as  it  is,  however,  it  is  my  whole 
life." 

"  Whom  do  you  love,  then  ?  "  asked  Fide-Yori. 

"  Oh,  Master  !  "  said  the  Prince,  covering  his  eyes  with 
his  hand,  "  do  not  ask  me." 

"  It  is  so  sweet  to  talk  of  the  loved  one  !  See  !  since 
I  made  you  my  confidant,  my  trouble  has  diminished 
by  half." 

"I  am  condemned  to  silence." 

"  Even  to  me  ?  Is  it  thus  you  love  me  ?  I  regret  that 
I  opened  my  heart  to  you." 

"  If  I  should  confess  the  object  of  my  love,  you  would 
shun  the  subject  forever." 

"  Is  it  my  mother  ] " 

"  No,"  said  Nagato,  smiling. 

"  Who  is  it  ]    Tell  me,  I  beseech  you ! " 

"The  Kisaki." 


302  THE   USURPER. 

"  Unhappy  man  !  "  cried  Fide-Yori ;  and,  as  the  Prince 
had  predicted,  he  added  not  another  word. 

Next  day  the  work  of  demolishing  the  ramparts  began. 
Ten  thousand  men  attacked  them ;  they  stood  firm.  No 
one  knew  what  to  do  next.  The  stones  rested  on  sloping 
ground,  and  seemed  as  if  riveted  in  their  places.  Above, 
on  the  terre-plein,  which  formed  a  spacious  terrace,  cedar- 
trees  grew,  and  cast  a  heavy  shade.  The  first  breach  was 
made  in  the  towers  projecting  at  intervals  from  the  walls. 
They  were  thrown  down  into  the  moat ;  then  huge  blocks 
were  dragged  from  the  walls,  and  the  work  was  ended. 
Only  the  shattered  walls  seemed  to  be  still  standing ;  the 
stones  were  not  there,  the  mountain  of  earth  remained ; 
but  the  moat  was  filled  up. 

While  this  work  of  destruction  was  going  on,  the  city 
continued  to  make  merry.  Fide-Yori  ordered  a  huge  bell 
to  be  cast,  and  dedicated  it  solemnly  to  the  temple 
of  Buddha ;  iipon  this  bell  were  engraved  the  words  : 
Henceforth  my  house  shall  be  at  peace. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  consecration  public  rejoicings 
were  held,  and  a  splendid  performance  was  announced  to 
be  given  at  the  chief  theatre  in  Osaka.  A  new  play  was 
to  be  brought  out,  entitled,  "The  Taiko-Ki,"  that  is  to 
say,  the  story  of  Taiko.  This  semi-historical  work  was 
written  in  honor  of  Fide-Yori's  father.  The  moment  was 
well  chosen  for  its  performance,  and  the  preparations 
were  therefore  hastened  on.  But  as  the  stage-setting  was 
to  be  very  elaborate,  no  positive  date  could  be  fixed. 

Nothing  else  was  talked  of  throughout  the  city.  Places 
were  reserved  in  advance ;  from  five  to  six  kobaugs  *  were 
paid  for  a  seat.  The  women  eagerly  arranged  their 
dresses  for  the  occasion ;  tailors  and  embroiderers  were 
beside  themselves  with  commissions.  The  praises  of  the 
1  Twelve  to  fifteen  dollars. 


THE   USURPER.  303 

leading  actor,  who  was  to  take  the  part  of  Taiko,  were 
loudly  sung.  Everybody  knew  him ;  he  was  famous. 
He  had  been  nicknamed  Nariko-Ma,  the  "  Humming-Top." 

Fide-Yori,  too,  waited  impatiently  for  the  day  of  the 
performance.  He  hoped  that  Omiti  would  be  present ; 
and  there  at  least  she  could  not  escape  him.  His  search 
throughout  the  city  with  Prince  Nagato  had  been  fruit- 
less. It  was  not  so  easy  as  they  had  fancied,  to  enter 
every  house  and  ask  for  the  young  girl.  They  began  with 
the  homes  of  the  nobility.  That  was  comparatively  easy. 
The  Shogun  honored  the  wives  of  the  absent  lords  with  a 
visit  incognito ;  it  was  his  whim  to  see  the  family  of  the 
princesses.  He  thus  passed  in  review  all  the  noble  maidens 
of  Osaka.  To  enter  the  houses  of  wealthy  citizens,  the 
two  friends  were  forced  to  don  a  disguise,  and  were  not 
always  well  received.  Their  devices  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
the  daughters  of  the  house  varied.  They  sometimes 
.pretended  to  have  seen  an  article  of  priceless  value  drop 
from  a  young  girl's  sleeve,  and  were  unwilling  to  return 
it  to  any  but  herself.  Or  they  would  say  they  were  sent 
by  an  old  man  in  utter  despair,  who  had  lost  his  only 
daughter,  and  was  looking  for  a  girl  of  the  same  age,  and 
bearing  some  likeness  to  her,  that  he  might  leave  his 
immense  fortune  to  her.  This  latter  invention,  of  the 
Prince  of  Nagato,  was  quite  successful.  But  the  task  was 
a  long  one  ;  they  had  already  spent  a  week  in  the  search, 
and  had  only  visited  the  palaces  and  one  street  in  Osaka. 

"We  shall  never  contrive  to  see  every  house  in  this 
great  city,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "  we  are  crazy  to  think  of 
doing  it." 

"  We  may  grow  old  before  we  find  her  whom  we  seek," 
replied  Nagato.  "  No  matter,  let  us  go  on  looking ;  per- 
haps we  shall  come  across  her  in  the  very  next  house  we 
enter." 


304  THE   USURPER. 

Fide-Yori  sighed. 

"  Let  us  wait  till  the  doors  of  the  theatre  are  thrown 
open,"  said  he. 

At  last  huge  posters,  printed  on  silk  or  colored  paper, 
announced  the  date  of  the  performance. 

"  We  shall  see  her  at  the  theatre ;  she  will  be  there,  I 
feel  sure,"  said  the  Shogun,  clinging  to  that  hope. 


THE   USURPER.  305 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

THE  GREAT  THEATRE  OF  OSAKA. 

one  of  the  largest  of  the  canals  which  intersect 
Osaka  in  every  direction  stands  the  theatre,  with  its 
broad  fa9ade.  capped  by  two  roofs.  You  can  go  to  the 
play  in  a  boat ;  yon  can  also  go  on  foot,  or  in  a  norimono ; 
for  a  quay  paved  with  blue  flag-stones  runs  in  front  of  the 
building,  and  divides  it  from  the  canal. 

Two  huge  blue-silk  banners,  covered  with  Chinese  char- 
acters, hang  from  flag-staffs  at  either  corner  of  the  house, 
rising  high  above  the  roof.  Upon  large  tablets,  on  a  gold 
ground,  are  painted  the  principal  scenes  in  the  plays  to 
be  performed.  They  are  painted  with  marvellous  wealth 
of  color,  and  depict  warriors,  princesses,  gods,  and  demons 
in  the  most  exaggerated  attitudes.  Sometimes,  instead 
of  a  picture,  we  find  a  combination  of  stuffs  arranged 
in  broad  relief,  velvet,  crape,  or  satin,  representing  the 
dresses  of  the  various  characters,  and  producing  the  most 
brilliant  effects.  From  the  red  cross-beams  beneath  the 
roof  hang  enormous  lanterns,  round  in  shape  on  the  lower 
floor,  square  upstairs.  On  the  ridge-pole,  a  fabulous  ani- 
mal, something  like  a  dog  or  lion,  juts  forward,  opening 
wide  his  jaws,  with  bristling  mane  and  tail. 

By  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning — the  dragon's  hour  — 
the  crowd  collected  before  the  doors  of  the  Grand  Theatre. 
Those  who  had  no  hope  of  admittance  meant  at  least  to 

20 


306  THE    USURPER. 

enjoy  the  dazzling  spectacle  of  the  arrival  of  wealthy 
citizens  and  elegantly  dressed  ladies. 

On  each  side  of  the  principal  entrance,  reached  by  a 
broad  staircase,  were  reared  lofty  platforms,  upon  which 
various  delegates  from  the  company  of  actors  stood  forth, 
in  street  dress,  fan  in  hand.  In  pompous  style,  with 
merry  gestures  and  grimaces,  they  loudly  commended  the 
pieces  which  they  were  to  give  to  the  public,  praising  the 
splendor  pf  the  costumes  and  stage  setting,  and  the  in- 
comparable merit  of  the  players  ;  and  when  that  subject 
was  exhausted,  they  amused  the  mob  by  all  sorts  of  jokes, 
puns,  and  anecdotes,  delivered  with  comic  gravity,  and 
accompanied  by  the  perpetual  motion  of  the  fan,  handled 
in  skilful,  graceful  style. 

Soon  the  favored  portion  of  the  public,  who  were  able 
to  engage  their  seats  in  advance,  arrived  from  all  sides. 
Across  the  two  bridges  arching  the  canal  to  right  and 
left  of  the  theatre  carne  norimonos  and  cangos,  their 
bearers  advancing  with  measured  pace,  and  following  one 
after  the  other  in  infinite  succession  ;  from  every  street 
appeared  countless  palanquins.  The  black  lacquer  glittered 
in  the  sun,  the  dresses  of  the  women,  in  haste  to  enter, 
had  the  fresh  tints  of  newly  opened  flowers.  Some  young 
men  arrived  on  horseback ;  they  threw  the  bridle  to  the 
groom,  who  ran  before  them,  and  mounted  the  stairs  to 
the  theatre  hurriedly.  Under  the  shade  of  broad  parasols 
came  various  families  on  foot.  Upon  the  canal  a  throng 
of  boats  besieged  the  landing-stage  ;  the  rowers  exchanged 
hard  words ;  the  women  stepped  on  shore  with  little 
shrieks  of  alarm.  They  were  followed  by  maid-servants 
carrying  magnificent  boxes  of  carved  ivory,  mother-of- 
pearl,  or  sandal-wood.  The  hall  was  soon  filled,  and  the 
doors  were  closed. 

The  interior  of  the  theatre  was  rectangular  in  shape,  the 


THE   USURPER.  307 

parquet  divided  into  square  spaces  separated  by  parti- 
tions about  ten  inches  high.  Two  aisles  led  from  the 
back  of  the  house  to  the  stage,  which  latter  was  not 
divided  by  any  practical  boundary  from  the  body  of  the 
house,  both  being  upon  the  same  level.  These  aisles 
seemed  intended  rather  for  occasional  exits  and  en- 
trances of  the  actors,  than  for  the  accommodation  of  visit- 
ors, the  partitions  between  the  boxes  being  sufficiently 
broad  to  allow  the  spectators  to  reach  the  places  reserved 
for  them.  The  journey,  however,  was  not  without  peril, 
and  was  accomplished  amid  screams  and  bursts  of  laugh- 
ter. The  women,  hampered  by  their  handsome  dresses, 
advanced  cautiously,  stumbling  occasionally.  The  men 
offered  their  arms,  to  help  them  into  the  boxes  ;  but  some 
preferred  to  sit  upon  the  edge  and  slide  gracefully  down. 
Each  compartment  held  eight  persons,  who  squatted  upon 
the  matted  floor;  and  as  soon  as  they  were  seated,  a 
servant,  attached  to  the  theatre,  brought  them  tea  and 
saki  on  a  lacquer  tray,  with  pipes  and  a  brazier. 

Eaised  above  the  parquet  on  three  sides  of  the  hall 
was  a  double  row  of  boxes,  the  fourth  side  being  occupied 
by  the  stage.  These  boxes,  very  richly  decorated  on  a 
background  of  red  or  black  lacquer,  were  the  most  select 
part  of  the  play-house,  especially  those  in  the  upper 
stage.  There  the  most  elegant  coquettes  displayed  their 
magnificent  toilets.  The  aspect  of  the  theatre  was  de- 
lightful ;  most  of  the  women  were  beautiful,  with  their 
dead-white  skins,  their  glossy  hair  and  dusky  eyes.  The 
rustle  of  silk,  the  shimmer  of  satin,  the  bright  colors  and 
the  embroideries,  formed  a  splendid  spectacle.  The  mar- 
ried women  were  easily  recognized  by  their  teeth  black- 
ened with  a  mixture  of  iron  filings  and  saki,  by  their 
plucked  eyebrows,  and  by  their  sash  tied  in  an  enormous 
knot  directly  in  front.  The  young  girls  made  the  knot  at 


308  THE   USURPER. 

the  back,  and  left  their  teeth  to  their  natural  whiteness. 
They  also  dressed  their  hair  differently.  Instead  of  let- 
ting it  hang  in  a  long  twist,  or  gathered  in  a  heavy  mass 
on  the  top  of  the  head,  they  combed  it  over  the  fore- 
head, arranged  it  in  wings  on  either  side  of  the  face,  and 
fashioned  it  into  an  elaborate  and  voluminous  chignon. 
Some  might  substitute,  for  the  tortoise-shell  pins  gen- 
erally used,  others  of  similar  length,  but  made  of  filagree 
gold  ;  their  neighbors  might  prefer  to  adorn  their  hair 
with  nothing  but  flowers  and  silk  cords. 

The  men  were  no  less  fond  of  dress  ;  crape,  brocade, 
and  velvet  not  being  forbidden  for  their  wear.  Some  had 
an  embroidered  scarf  on  one  shoulder,  one  end  hanging 
forward  ;  the  longer  the  scarf  was,  the  higher  the  social 
rank  of  the  wearer.  When  he  saluted  a  superior  he 
must  bend  until  the  scarf  touched  the  ground.  There- 
fore the  longer  it  was,  the  less  he  had  to  bend.  A  party 
of  nobles-  appearing  incognito,  their  faces  hidden  by 
black  crape  hoods,  showing  nothing  but  their  eyes,  filled 
the  lower  row  of  boxes.  But  one  of  these,  very  near  the 
stage,  remained  empty  ;  it  was  suddenly  thrown  open, 
and  a  woman  appeared. 

The  spectators  could  not  repress  a  cry  of  amazement 
upon  recognizing  Yodogimi.  Was  it  possible  1  —  the 
Shogun's  mother  entering  a  theatre  openly !  Had  she 
lost  all  respect  for  custom  and  decorum,  and  for  herself] 
The  veil  of  light  gauze,  fastened  to  the  big  pins  in  her 
headdress,  and  covering  her  face,  although  it  might  show 
her  desire  to  preserve  her  incognito,  in  no  way  masked 
the  Princess ;  she  was  recognized  at  the  first  glance. 
Still,  surprise  soon  gave  way  to  admiration.  Every  one 
was  glad  she  had  not  hidden  her  charming  face,  which 
the  transparent  veil  did  but  embellish.  Besides,  the 
extraordinary  dress  worn  by  Yodogimi  took  the  audience 


THE    USURPER.  309 

by  storm.  Her  robe  was  woven  of  pale  gold,  covered  with 
fine  pearls  and  grains  of  crystal ;  she  seemed  to  radiate 
light,  as  if  the  stars  were  imprisoned  in  the  folds  of  the 
stuff.  The  Princess  smiled  as  she  saw  how  promptly  the 
first  sensation  of  displeasure  was  overcome  by  admiration. 
She  took  her  seat  slowly ;  aud  when  she  was  settled  in 
her  place,  a  masked  warrior  was  seen  standing  behind  her. 

Then  the  faint  clamor  of  a  gong,  the  trill  of  a  couple 
of  flutes,  and  a  few  muffled  blows  on  a  tambourine  were 
heard.  The  musicians  took  up  their  instruments ;  the 
play  was  about  to  begin. 

The  audience  turned  to  the  stage ;  it  was  closed  by  a 
curtain  covered  with  huge  lozenges,  and  in  the  centre  of 
which  appeared,  upon  a  scarlet  disk,  an  immense  Chinese 
character,  standing  for  the  name  of  "  Humming-Top," 
the  famous  and  unrivalled  actor.  A  rich  silk  merchant 
had  presented  this  curtain  in  his  honor ;  it  was  not  to  be 
changed  until  Humming-Top  should  be  surpassed  or 
equalled  by  one  of  his  colleagues. 

The  curtain  moved ;  and  a  man,  drawing  it  slightly 
aside,  came  forward.  The  instant  he  appeared,  the 
hubbub  which  filled  the  hall  ceased  abruptly.  The  man 
saluted  the  audience  with  all  sorts  of  grimaces.  He  was 
dressed  like  a  wealthy  lord,  and  held  in  his  hands  a  paper 
cylinder,  which  he  began  to  unrolL 

The  people  hung  upon  his  words  in  profound  silence  ; 
and  yet  they  all  knew  that  no  one  could  unravel  the 
sense  of  them.  For  such  is  the  mission  of  this  individual : 
he  is  to  speak  without  being  understood.  If  any  one  dis- 
cover the  true  meaning  of  what  he  reads  from  his  roll, 
he  has  missed  his  object.  Still,  he  is  to  read  the  text 
literally,  without  skipping  a  word,  or  adding  a  syllable. 
The  paper  contains  an  outline  of  the  piece  to  be  played, 
the  names  of  the  characters,  the  actors,  and  the  scene  of 


310  THE   USURPER. 

action.  The  herald,  by  clipping  his  words  and  phrases, 
by  uniting  things  that  should  be  divided,  by  pausing 
where  there  is  no  pause,  managed  to  mar  his  text  com- 
pletely, to  make  absurd  mistakes  and  ridiculous  jokes, 
at  which  the  public  laughed  till  the  tears  ran  down  their 
cheeks.  Still  they  listened  ;  they  tried  to  guess  the  true 
meaning.  But  the  speaker  was  clever :  he  withdrew, 
leaving  no  one  a  whit  the  wiser. 

When  he  had  disappeared,  noisy  strains  of  music 
sounded  behind  the  scenes,  and  the  curtain  rose. 

The  scene  represented  an  elegant  apartment  with  a 
large  window  opening  upon  a  country  landscape ;  rich 
screens,  a  bed,  —  that  is,  a  velvet  mattress,  —  and  a 
number  of  cushions,  furnished  the  chamber. 

The  audience  at  once  recognized  the  scenery  of  one  of 
the  most  popular  plays  in  the  repertory  of  the  theatre. 

"  It 's  the  third  act  of  the  Vampire  ! "  was  whispered 
on  every  hand. 

Only  this  one  act  of  the  Vampire,  which  is  the  best  and 
most  dramatic,  was  given.  The  public  expressed  their 
satisfaction  by  a  prolonged  murmur,  and  the  curtain 
fell. 

During  the  intermission  most  of  the  audience  left  the 
hall,  and  stormed  the  adjoining  tea-house.  There  the 
morning  meal  was  served,  or  merely  warm  drinks  and  a 
few  dainties,  amidst  an  indescribable  tumult  and  confu- 
sion. Every  one  expressed  his  opinion  of  the  merits  of 
the  play  just  witnessed,  and  of  the  actors'  skill.  Their 
gestures,  their  cries  and  contortions,  were  imitated.  Some 
attempted  to  repeat  their  capers,  to  the  great  amusement 
of  the  spectators ;  others  played  chess,  morra,  or  dice. 

The  wait  was  a  long  one.  The  lads  who  took  the  part 
of  women  in  the  first  piece  were  to  appear  in  the  second 
as  well ;  they  must  have  time  to  rest,  take  a  bath,  and 


THE   USURPER.  311 

change  their  dresses.  But  the  time  passed  pleasantly  ; 
people  ate,  smoked,  and  laughed,  and  then  flocked  merrily 
back  to  the  theatre. 

The  appearance  of  the  hall  was  entirely  different ;  all 
the  ladies  in  the  boxes  had  changed  their  dresses,  the 
new  ones  being  still  more  gorgeous  than  the  first. 

All  eyes  were  bent  on  Yodogimi,  eager  to  see  how  she 
could  contrive  a  second  toilet  worthy  of  that  which  had 
so  recently  dazzled  all  beholders.  Again  they  were  mute 
with  surprise.  She  seemed  clothed  in  jewels  and  woven 
flames  ;  her  robe  was  one  mass  of  humming-bird  feathers, 
which  flashed  like  sapphires,  rubies,  emeralds,  and  burning 
coals.  Those  living  gems  had  been  slaughtered  whole- 
sale to  form  an  ample  garment,  which  cost  the  price  of 
a  castle. 

The  herald  reappeared,  delivered  a  speech  no  less 
mysterious  than  the  first,  and  the  curtain  rose. 

A  scene  from  the  Onono-Komat-Ki  was  now  given. 

Onono-Komat  was  a  lovely  maiden  attached  to  the 
Court  of  Kioto.  Having  a  passion  for  poetry,  she  devoted 
herself  to  study,  and  composed  verses ;  but  in  her  love 
of  perfection,  the  poem  once  written,  she  washed  it  out 
and  began  again.  Young  men  fell  in  love  with  her 
beauty,  and  persecuted  her  with  their  attentions.  She 
repulsed  them,  and  continued  her  favorite  studies.  But 
the  persistent  suitors  could  not  pardon  her  disdain  ;  by 
base  calumny  they  brought  her  into  disgrace.  The  in- 
spired maiden  left  the  palace,  and  wandered  at  random. 
By  degrees  she  became  poorer  and  poorer ;  but  her  love 
of  poetry  never  failed.  She  contemplated  the  beauties  of 
nature,  and  sang  of  them  with  rare  perfection  of  style. 
Age  came ;  her  hair  turned  white ;  she  was  completely 
destitute,  roaming  from  village  to  village,  leaning  on  a 
staff,  a  basket  on  her  arm,  and  living  on  alms.  Children 
gathered  round  her  when  she  sat  at  the  gates  of  a  temple  ; 


312  THE    USURPER. 

she  smiled  sweetly  on  them,  and  taught  them  pretty 
verses.  Sometimes  a  bonze  would  respectfully  ask  leave 
to  copy  one  of  the  poems  stowed  away  in  her  basket. 
The  inspired  siuger  died  ;  then  only  was  hatred  silenced, 
and  her  glory  shone  forth.  She  was  deified,  and  her 
memory  is  reverenced  by  all  men. 

After  representing  various  portions  of  the  play  descrip- 
tive of  the  life  of  Onono-Komat,  a  burlesque  interlude 
was  played,  and  then  the  Taiko-Ki  at  last  began. 

The  curtain  went  up  on  a  vast  scene  representing  an 
encampment  of  soldiers.  The  General's  tent,  rising  high 
above  the  rest,  was  pitched  in  the  centre.  Envoys  came 
running  in  dismay,  gesticulating  wildly  with  arms  and  legs. 

"  The  General !  the  General !  we  must  see  the  General 
at  once  !  "  they  cry. 

Then  the  curtains  of  the  tent  are  parted,  and  Taiko  ap- 
pears. The  Humming-Top  had  succeeded  in  reproducing 
exactly  the  attitude  and  dress  of  the  hero  he  represented. 
The  audience  showed  their  satisfaction.  Those  who,  in 
their  youth,  had  seen  the  illustrious  Shogun,  fancied  they 
beheld  him  once  more. 

"  What  do  you  want  1 "  says  Taiko. 

The  emissaries  dare  not  open  their  lips. 

"  Well !  "  says  Taiko,  frowning,  and  clapping  his  hand 
to  his  sword. 

"  Sire,  while  you  fight  your  country's  foes,  Mitsou-Fide, 
to  whom  you  intrusted  the  care  of  the  kingdom,  has 
seized  the  power." 

At  this  news,  Taiko's  face  passes  successively  from 
surprise  to  anxiety  and  fury. 

Meanwhile  a  man  carrying  a  light  on  the  end  of  a  long 
bamboo  pole,  held  it  close  to  the  actor's  face,  that  the 
public  might  not  lose  any  of  his  facial  expression. 

"  Let  us  be  off!  "  cries  Taiko  ;"  "  my  presence  alone 
can  restore  order  in  the  palace." 


THE    USURPER. 


313 


He  gives  the  command  of  his  troops  to  one  of  his 
officers,  and  leaves  the  stage  by  a  raised  passage  through 
the  parquet,  and  disappears  through  a  heavy  curtain. 

The  stage  revolved,  and  revealed  the  interior  of  a  pagoda. 

Taiko  enters.  He  asks  for  a  night's  rest  in  the  pagoda, 
and  is  told  that  Mitsou-Fide  has  just  arrived  with  his 
wife  and  mother.  They  are  travelling,  and  have  stopped 
here.  Taiko  starts  violently. 

"  My  enemy  so  near  !  "  he  exclaims.  "  Shall  I  fly  ? 
No ;  I  must  disguise  myself." 

He  calls  for  a  razor,  shaves  his  head,  and  slips  on  the 
dress  of  a  bonze.  He  has  scarcely  fastened  it,  when 
Mitsou-Fide  enters,  and  casts  a  suspicious  glance  at  Taiko ; 
the  latter,  to  appear  at  his  ease  and  quite  calm,  begins  to 
sing  a  simple  air,  popular  throughout  the  kingdom  :  — 


don        don        don        co   -   ria        don        don 


don 


1  From  the  mountain  tor>  I  gaze  down  into  the  valley. 
The  cucumbers  and  the  hawth6*rn,  hope  of  the  harvest,  are  in 
bloom." 


314  THE   USURPER. 

"  Come  here,  bonze,"  says  Mitsou-Fide.  "  My  mother 
is  tired  after  her  journey  ;  you  may  prepare  a  bath  for  her." 

"  Who  would  have  thought  that  I  came  here  to  play 
the  part  of  servant  ? "  cries  Taiko,  turning  towards  the 
audience  with  most  wonderful  facial  expression.  "  I 
obey,"  he  adds  aloud. 

The  bath-room  was  only  divided  from  the  apartment 
which  occupied  the  stage  by  a  screen  covered  with  oiled 
paper.  Taiko  prepares  the  bath  ;  amusing  the  audience 
meantime  by  a  thousand  comical  remarks,  accompanied 
by  appropriate  grimaces. 

Mitsou-Fide's  mother  enters,  and  asks  if  the  bath  is 
ready.  On  the  affirmative  reply  of  the  false  bonze,  she 
disappears  behind  the  screen.  But  Mitsou-Fide  learns 
that  Taiko  is  in  the  pagoda,  and  now  rushes  up  in  a  rage, 
shouting  loudly  for  his  enemy. 

"  He  is  in  the  bath,"  says  a  priest. 

"  He  shall  not  escape  me." 

Taiko,  during  this  scene,  creeps  off. 

Mitsou-Fide  cuts  a  long  stock  of  bamboo  in  the  garden, 
sharpens  one  end  of  it,  and  hardens  it  over  the  coals  in  a 
bronze  chafing-dish.  Then  marching  up  to  the  dividing- 
screen,  he  pierces  the  paper  with  this  impromptu  spear, 
and  thinking  to  slay  his  enemy,  kills  his  mother. 

"  What  have  I  done  1 "  he  exclaims  in  alarm,  on  hear- 
ing a  woman's  shriek. 

"  You  have  killed  your  mother  !  "  says  his  young  wife, 
entering,  pale  with  horror,  and  trembling  like  a  leaf. 

"  Repent !  repent  while  she  expires  ! "  she  cries,  in  a 
monotonous  chant.  "  This  cruel  murder,  committed  by 
your  hand,  is  the  vengeance  of  Heaven  !  Did  I  not  bid 
you  beware  of  betraying  your  master  1  You  usurped  the 
power.  See  to  what  ambition  leads  you  ;  you  have  killed 
your  mother !  At  least  repent  while  she  expires." 


THE    USURPER.  315 

"  Alas  !  alas  ! "  howls  the  murderer ;  "  let  us  leave  this 
accursed  spot,  let  us  fly !  Eemorse  rends  my  heart !  For 
three  days  I  possessed  the  power  :  my  punishment  is 
terrible.  My  mother  slain  by  my  own  hand  !  I  cannot 
believe  it  ! " 

'  He  bursts  into  the  bath-room ;  then  comes  out,  with  all 
the  signs  of  despair  bordering  on  madness. 

The  stage  again  revolves,  and  represents  a  field.  Taiko 
in  battle  array,  surrounded  by  soldiers,  waits  to  intercept 
his  enemy,  who  is  about  to  escape.  Mitsou-Fide  crosses 
the  stage  with  a  scanty  train  of  attendants  ;  he  is  hemmed 
in  by  Taiko's  men.  The  latter,  after  a  long  speech,  in 
which  he  overwhelms  his  unworthy  servant  with  re- 
proaches, takes  him  prisoner  and  loads  him  with  chains. 

The  curtain  falls;  the  play  is  over. 

It  interested  the  audience  deeply  ;  in  certain  situations 
they  discovered  analogies  to  the  events  which  had  so 
recently  troubled  the  country.  Hieyas  was  often  men- 
tally substituted  for  Mitsou-Fide. 

Everybody  went  home  highly  delighted. 

Everybody  1  No.  Fide-Yori  had  death  in  his  soul. 
Omiti  was  not  at  the  performance.  Nagato  tried  in  vain 
to  comfort  his  friend. 

"I  shall  never  see  her  again! "he  cried.  "I  hoped 
that  I  might  yet  be  happy  in  this  life ;  but  misfortune 
clings  to  me  persistently.  Look  you,  friend,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  I  long  to  die  ;  I  am  overwhelmed  with  sorrow. 
My  mother's  conduct,  her  mad  and  ruinous  extravagance, 
displayed  in  public,  fill  my  heart  with  bitterness.  Several 
times,  when  I  heard  the  rough  voice  of  that  soldier  whom 
she  is  weak  enough  to  love,  I  was  on  the  point  of  leaping 
into  their  box,  slapping  him  in  the  face,  and  driving  her 
out,  with  the  righteous  wrath  evoked  by  such  a  disregard 
of  all  propriety  and  decency.  And  then  my  anger  died  at 


316  THE    USURPER. 

a  gentle  thought  which  took  possession  of  me.  I  hoped 
that  she  would  come,  —  that  maiden  in  whom  my  every 
hope  is  centred  ;  I  seai'ched  the  hall  with  an  eager  glance. 
She  did  not  come  !  All  is  ended ;  all  is  desolate  within 
me ;  and  the  life  which  she  preserved  I  would  fain  lay 
down  forever ! " 


THE    USURPER.  317 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

OMITI. 

"TTTIXTER  had  come ;  days  of  burning  heat  had  given 

'  '  place  to  days  of  frost  and  ice.  The  leaden  sky 
seemed  to  have  changed  places  with  the  earth,  now 
dazzlingly  bright  in  its  white  robes  of  snow. 

In  the  outskirts  of  Osaka  the  deserted  shore  had  pre- 
served intact  the  thick  coat  of  wadding  dropped  from 
the  clouds.  The  waves,  reflecting  the  dull  gray  heavens, 
looked  like  ink.  Scattered  rocks  jutted  from  the  ground 
at  intervals  ;  the  snow  clung  to  their  sharp  angles.  Gulls, 
disturbed  in  their  flight  by  the  wind,  flapped  their  wings ; 
they  seemed  dark  and  dirty  against  this  whiteness. 

The  last  house  of  the  suburb  extended  its  high  garden 
fence  along  the  beach ;  it  was  covered  with  snow,  and 
the  swinging  sign,  which  hung  from  two  posts  flanking 
the  door,  was  quite  illegible.  The  big  lanterns  swelling 
forward  at  either  side  of  the  entrance  had  been  drawn 
in  and  fastened  by  hooks ;  a  small  penthouse  sheltered 
them.  The  triple  roof  of  the  house  seemed  thatched 
with  silver. 

This  was  the  Day-Break  Inn.  It  was  here  that  Omiti 
had  for  many  long  days  endured  the  cruel  fate  imposed 
upon  her.  She  suffered  in  silence,  with  a  proud  resigna- 
tion which  accepts  neither  pity  nor  consolation.  She 
sacrificed  herself  to  save  the  lord  of  the  kingdom.  She 


318  THE    USURPER. 

yielded  without  a  murmur  to  the  consequences  of  her 
sacrifice ;  but  she  sometimes  thought  that  it  would  have 
been  more  merciful  to  kill  her.  She  had  no  wish  to  see 
the  King  again,  although  she  had  not  ceased  to  love  him. 
Her  love  was  born  of  a  maiden's  dream.  Before  she  ever 
saw  Fide-Yori,  that  young  prince,  said  to  be  handsome 
and  amiable,  filled  her  thoughts ;  and  as  she  embroidered, 
she  mused  and  wove  a  web  of  fancy  about  his  image. 
When  she  discovered  the  horrid  plot  which  threatened 
the  life  of  him  who  filled  her  soul,  she  felt  as  if  she  should 
die  of  terror ;  but  her  longing  to  save  him  gave  her  the 
strength  and  courage  of  a  hero.  In  her  single  interview 
with  the  King,  in  the  lemon  grove,  she  saw  that  her  heart 
had  not  erred,  and  that  she  should  never  love  any  other 
man.  But  the  idea  that  he  might  love  her  never  even  oc- 
curred to  her  ;  her  modesty  forbade  it ;  and  since,  sold  for 
the  general  pleasure,  she  had  sunk  to  the  lowest  grade  in 
the  social  scale,  the  mere  thought  of  again  standing  in 
Fide-Yori's  presence  made  her  blush  with  shame. 

Often  rich  merchants  from  the  town  would  bring  their 
wives  to  the  tea-house,  to  spend  a  few  hours  in  the  com- 
pany of  the  gaizha  girls,  who  instructed  them  in  the  art 
of  acquiring  elegant  manners,  taught  them  to  play  the 
samsin,  and  to  compose  verses.  Sometimes  the  fine  lady, 
crouching  opposite  Omiti,  listening,  with  half-open  lips, 
to  the  girl's  plaintive  tones,  was  surprised  to  see  sudden 
tears  flood  the  singer's  eyes.  But  she  supposed  it  was  a 
seductive  wile  ;  and  going  home,  would  strive  to  weep  as 
she  struck  the  strings  of  her  instrument. 

Beneath  its  snowy  mantle,  behind  its  closed  windows, 
and  although  it  appeared  quite  silent  from  without,  the 
tea-house  was  full  of  people  and  of  noise. 

For  several  weeks  it  had  been  thronged  daily  by  a 
crowd  of  people  of  all  classes,  who  seemed  to  assemble 


THE    USURPER.  319 

there  for  some  secret  purpose.  The  master  of  the  estab- 
lishment was  undoubtedly  in  league  with  these  men ;  he 
always  mingled  in  their  conversation,  —  indeed  he  often 
seemed  to  direct  and  inflame  it.  They  talked  of  the 
affairs  of  the  nation.  The  general  misery  was  frightful. 
This  civil  war,  coming  just  at  the  time  when  the  fields 
most  needed  the  master's  eye,  had  injured  the  harvests  ; 
several  crops  were  utterly  destroyed  by  the  armies,  others 
were  poor ;  famine  threatened  all  that  part  of  the  king- 
dom which  still  belonged  to  Fide-Yori.  In  the  north,  .on 
the  contrary,  everything  throve  and  flourished.  While 
rice  was  scarce  in  the  neighborhood  of  Osaka,  it  was  sold 
at  half  price  in  the  northern  provinces  ;  but  Hieyas  abso- 
lutely forbade  it  to  be  exported  to  the  south,  and  the 
Shogun  took  no  pains  to  have  a  supply  brought  from  else- 
where. While  the  people  died  of  starvation,  the  Court 
displayed  an  unexampled  luxury  :  every  day  were  given 
receptions,  feasts,  and  banquets.  Yodogimi  excited  the 
popular  wrath ;  she  exhausted  the  treasury.  The  taxes 
were  raised,  and  salaries  lowered.  The  Government  had 
plainly  gone  mad.  The  Court  danced  on  the  verge  of  an 
abyss,  dragging  their  trains  of  gold  and  satin  after  them, 
to  the  sound  of  bewildering  music.  All  were  blind ;  no 
one  thought  of  the  possible  resumption  of  the  war.  Men 
got  drunk,  they  laughed  and  sang  within  the  fallen  walls 
of  the  fortress ;  they  took  no  steps  to  restore  the  army  to 
its  former  footing,  or  to  increase  it  if  possible.  Yoke- 
Moura  had  vainly  striven  to  act ;  money  was  wanting  : 
the  caprices  and  ruinous  extravagance  of  the  Princess 
Yodogimi  absorbed  it  all.  And  the  Shogun,  what  was 
he  about  1  Plunged  in  a  mysterious  melancholy,  he 
wandered  in  his  gardens  solitary  and  alone,  doing  nothing, 
apparently  laying  down  the  power.  It  was  evident  that 
Hieyas  only  waited  for  an  opportunity  to  give  the  last 


320  THE   USURPER. 

blow  to  that  crumbling  structure.  But  why  should  he 
wait  ?  The  old  man's  wisdom  was  in  strange  contrast 
with  the  young  man's  improvidence  and  the  folly  of  his 
Court.  Hieyas  must  be  summoned  ;  his  accession  would 
save  the  nation  from  misery  and  want.  Why  should  they 
be  reduced  to  the  last  extremity  1  An  effort  must  be 
made  to  bring  about  the  inevitable  issue  as  soon  as 
might  be. 

Omiti,  with  growing  fear,  daily  heard  similar  discourses. 
The  guests  of  the  inn  changed ;  the  same  men  did  not 
always  return.  They  went  elsewhere,  to  stir  up  rebellion 
and  wrath.  It  was  plain  that  emissaries  from  Hieyas 
were  mixed  with  these  artisans.  The  Usurper  felt  the 
value  of  a  movement  in  his  favor  at  Osaka ;  he  was 
anxious  to  provoke  it.  Moreover  the  careless  indiffer- 
ence of  the  Court  was  of  wonderful  help  to  him.  Omiti 
saw  all  this ;  she  wrung  her  hands,  and  wept  with  de- 
spair. "  Then  there  is  no  one  who  dares  to  warn  him  of 
his  danger  !  "  she  cried,  in  her  sleepless  nights. 

One  day,  as  she  sat  in  her  room  embroidering,  she 
^noticed  that  the  people  talking  in  the  room  below  had 
dropped  their  voices.  Usually  they  cared  very  little  who 
heard  them.  Her  heart  leaped  in  her  bosom. 

"  I  must  hear  what  they  say,"  she  murmured. 

She  ran  to  the  top  of  the  staircase ;  and  holding  fast 
to  the  railing,  glided  to  the  lowest  step  as  lightly  as  air, 
and  succeeded  in  catching  a  few  disjointed  sentences. 

"  Yes,  that  beach  is  unfrequented." 

"  We  will  enter  the  inn  by  the  door  which  opens  from 
the  sea." 

"  And  we  will  leave  on  the  street  side  in  small  groups." 

"  The  soldiers  must  be  disguised  as  mechanics." 

"  Of  course ;  but  they  will  keep  their  weapons  under 
their  cloaks." 


THE    USURPER.  321 

"  The  city  is  already  greatly  agitated ;  we  will  proceed 
to  the  fortress  in  a  body,  and  summon  the  Shogun  to 
abdicate." 

"If  he  refuses,  we  will  enter  the  palace  and  take  pos- 
session of  him." 

Omiti  shivered  with  horror.  "  I  must  get  away  from 
here,"  she  muttered  ;  "  I  must  give  the  alarm." 

The  conspirators  continued  :  "  We  must  hasten ;  to- 
morrow, at  nightfall,  the  soldiers  may  land." 

"  Directly  after,  a  cargo  of  wheat  and  rice  will  arrive." 

Omiti  went  back  to  her  room.  She  had  heard  enough ; 
her  resolve  was  taken.  A  sort  of  mystical  ardor  filled 
her  soul.  "  My  mission  in  this  world  is  to  save  him,  to 
hold  him  back  on  the  edge  of  the  precipice,"  she  thought 
with  exaltation.  "This  is  the  second  time  that  I  have 
discovered  a  guilty  secret,  —  a  plot  against  the  man  whom 
I  loved  before  I  ever  knew  him.  The  will  of  Heaven  is 
displayed  in  this.  Once  more  I  will  point  out  his  peril 
to  him;  my  feeble  hand  shall  stay  the  execution  of  the 
crime." 

She  considered  the  means  she  might  employ  to  escape 
from  the  house.  Two  other  young  women  shared  her 
chamber  at  night.  She  could  not  trust  them ;  they  did 
not  like  her,  and  were  devoted  to  their  master. 

Upon  the  ground-floor  all  the  doors  were  closed  on  the 
inside  by  heavy  bars  ;  besides,  the  men  servants,  who  had 
charge  of  the  cellar  department,  slept  down  stairs.  There- 
fore it  was  useless  to  think  of  escape  in  that  direction. 
There  remained  the  window  ;  it  was  somewhat  high  above 
the  ground,  but  that  was  not  what  troubled  Omiti.  How 
could  she  open  the  window  without  rousing  the  other 
women  1^  If  she  succeeded  in  doing  it  without  a  noise, 
the  cold  air  blowing  into  the  room  would  wake  them. 
Omiti  thought  of  the  window  that  opened  on  the  stair1 

21 


322  THE    USURPER. 

case  landing.  But  the  one  in  her  room  looked  upon  the 
street,  while  the  other  opened  into  the  garden ;  and  once 
in  the  garden,  she  still  had  the  fence  to  climb. 

"  No  matter,"  thought  Omiti ;  "  I  '11  get  out  of  the 
window  on  the  stairs." 

But  how?  She  had  no  ladder  at  her  disposal.  With 
a  rope  1  Where  should  she  get  a  rope  without  arousing 
suspicion  1  She  decided  to  manufacture  one.  Her  com- 
rades had  gone  for  a  walk,  and  she  had  plenty  of  time. 
Opening  the  boxes  containing  her  clothes,  she  took  out 
various  strong  silk  dresses  and  cut  them  into  strips.  She 
then  braided  these  strips  together,  and  fastened  the 
strands  by  hard  knots.  Then  she  rolled  up  the  rope,  and 
hid  it  under  her  mattress. 

"  Now,"  said  she,  "  I  am  sure  I  can  save  him." 

The  day  seemed  long  to  her ;  the  fever  of  expectation 
made  her  tremble  nervously ;  her  teeth  chattered  at 
intervals. 

The  other  girls  came  back,  their  cheeks  rosy  with  the 
cold  ;  they  wearied  Omiti  with  the  recital  of  all  they  had 
seen  and  done.  They  had  gone  to  the  banks  of  the  Yedo- 
gawa  to  see  if  the  ice  was  drifting.  They  fancied  they 
saw  a  few  floating  blocks,  but  perhaps  it  was  only  snow  ; 
for  there  was  snow  everywhere,  even  on  the  golden  fishes 
that  crowned  the  high  tower  of  the  fortress,  which  were 
turned  to  silver.  The  wind  was  icy ;  but,  to  ward  off 
the  cold,  the  men  had  put  on  embroidered  velvet  ear- 
caps.  .  .  . 

Omiti  paid  no  attention  to  the  interminable  chatter  of 
the  women.  She  was  delighted  to  see  the  lanterns  lighted. 
Darkness  had  come,  but  the  long  evening  still  lay  before 
her.  She  could  not  eat  any  supper ;  and  feigned  illness, 
to  avoid  singing  or  playing  the  biwa. 

She  returned  to  her  room,  where  her  companions  soon 


THE   USURPER.  323 

joined  her ;  their  walk  had  tired  them,  and  they  quickly 
fell  asleep. 

The  noise,  the  laughter,  and  songs  of  the  men  who 
were  getting  tipsy  below  lasted  yet  a  long  time.  But  at 
last  she  heard  the  familiar  sound  of  the  bars  dropping 
into  their  places;  every  one  was  gone. 

She  waited  another  half-hour,  to  give  the  servants  time 
to  sleep  soundly ;  then,  without  the  slightest  noise,  she 
rose,  took  the  rope  from  under  her  mattress,  and  slid 
slightly  aside  the  panel  opening  on  the  staircase,  shutting 
it  when  she  had  passed.  She  listened,  and  heard  nothing 
but  a  few  snores,  which  were  very  reassuring.  She 
opened  the  window ;  the  night  air  made  her  shudder. 
She  leaned  out,  and  looked  down ;  the  white  snow  afforded 
a  dim  light. 

"  It  is  high,"  thought  the  young  girl ;  "  will  my  rope 
be  long  enough  ?  " 

She  fastened  it  to  the  window-frame,  and  unrolled  it. 
It  reached  the  ground,  and  even  trailed  a  little  on  the 
snow. 

Omiti  wound  her  gown  about  her,  and  knelt  on  the  edge 
of  the  window.  But  as  she  was  about  to  intrust  herself 
to  that  frail  cord,  a  sort  of  instinctive  fear  took  possession 
of  her ;  she  hesitated. 

"  What !  "  said  she,  "  I  tremble  for  my  life  when  his 
is  in  danger  ! " 

She  let  herself  go  abruptly,  holding  to  the  rope  with 
both  hands.  A  sharp  pain  almost  forced  a  scream  from 
her ;  she  felt  as  if  her  arms  would  be  pulled  from  their 
sockets ;  her  hands  were  torn  as  she  slid  rapidly  down. 
But  all  at  once  one  of  the  knots  in  the  silk  gave  way 
under  her  weight,  and  the  rope  broke. 

She  fell  upon  the  snow,  which  swallowed  her  up.  But 
her  fall  was  deadened ;  and  she  rose  to  her  feet,  feeling  no 


324  THE    USURPER. 

pain,  but  a  sudden  lassitude.  After  shaking  off  the  snow, 
with  which  she  was  covered,  she  crossed  the  garden  and 
gained  the  fence.  Luckily  the  door  was  only  fastened  by 
a  big  round  bolt ;  after  several  attempts,  she  succeeded 
in  drawing  it  back. 

She  was  on  the  shore,  out  of  that  ill-omened  house, 
free  at  last  !  The  strong  wind  blew  sharp  from  the  sea, 
whose  monotonous  roar  she  heard.  She  began  to  run, 
sinking  ankle  deep  in  the  snow,  which  rose  behind  her 
in  clouds  of  glittering  particles. 

She  was  in  such  haste  to  be  gone  from  the  tavern,  that 
instead  of  going  round  the  corner  of  the  house  into  the 
street  upon  which  the  front  door  opened,  she  followed  the 
garden  fence,  which  soon  came  to  an  end,  and  was  replaced 
by  a  wall  running  round  another  enclosure. 

"  I  will  enter  the  city  by  the  next  lane  that  opens  on 
the  beach,"  thought  Omiti. 

She  reached  a  sort  of  open  square  on  the  sea-shore, 
bordered  on  the  other  side  by  a  semicircle  of  wretched 
huts,  half  hidden  in  their  mantles  of  snow.  In  the 
middle,  a  lighted  lantern,  hanging  from  a  post,  made  a 
shimmering,  blood-red  spot.  The  light  was  very  dim. 
The  young  girl  took  a  few  steps  into  the  square,  but 
suddenly  recoiled  with  a  cry  of  horror  :  she  saw  an  awful 
face  gazing  down  at  her  from  above  the  lantern. 

At  the  scream  uttered  by  the  young  girl,  a  myriad 
other  shrieks  rang  out  from  the  bills  of  countless  crows ; 
who,  roused  abruptly,  flew  up  and  circled  in  the  air  in 
aimless  fashion.  Omiti  was  soon  surrounded  by  the  ill- 
omened  birds.  Motionless  with  fright,  she  thought  her- 
self the  victim  of  some  hallucination,  and  rubbed  her 
eyes,  trying  to  take  in  and  understand  what  she  saw. 
That  face  still  glared  at  her  ;  she  had  snow  in  her  eye- 
brows, her  hair,  her  open  mouth,  and  her  haggard  eyes. 


THE    USURPER.  325 

At  first  Omiti  thought  she  saw  a  man  leaning  against  the 
post ;  but  on  looking  closer,  she  found  that  the  head, 
without  a  body,  was  suspended  to  a  nail  by  the  hair,  and 
she  recognized  that  she  was  in  the  square  where  all  the 
public  executions  took  place. 

The  ground  was  covered  with  mounds,  —  graves  hastily 
dug  for  the  victims.  The  body  of  the  last  criminal  had 
been  left  at  the  foot  of  the  post ;  a  dog,  busily  scratching 
the  snowy  shroud  that  veiled  the  corpse,  uttered  a  long 
howl,  and  fled  with  a  bloody  fragment  in  his  jaws.  A 
large  bronze  statue  of  Buddha,  seated  on  a  lotos,  was 
visible,  spotted  with  white  flakes. 

Omiti  conquered  her  terror  and  crossed  the  square, 
stretching  out  her  arms  to  drive  away  the  crowd  of 
ravenous  crows  which  flocked  about  her.  They  pursued 
her  with  their  melancholy  shrieks,  which  were  mingled 
with  the  roar  of  the  sea. 

The  young  girl  went  rapidly  down  a  narrow  street, 
illumined  by  no  ray  of  light.  The  snow  had  been 
trampled,  and  she  walked  through  icy  mud.  The  dark- 
ness was  profound ;  it  was  not  even  mitigated  by  the 
whiteness  of  the  earth.  Omiti  kept  close  to  the  walls,  to 
feel  her  way.  But  the  houses  did  not  follow  in  regular 
order ;  there  were  vacant  spaces ;  she  sometimes  lost 
her  guide.  Her  feet  sank  in  pits  of  soft  snow,  which 
began  to  melt  in  places.  She  fell,  then  rose  again ;  the 
edge  of  her  dress  was  soaked.  She  felt  benumbed  with 
cold. 

"  Shall  I  ever  reach  my  journey's  end  1 "  she  thought. 

Another  street  appeared,  crossing  the  first;  a  few 
lights  glittered  down  its  length.  Into  this  Omiti  turned. 

Without  knowing  it,  the  girl  was  passing  through  the 
very  worst  quarter  of  the  city.  Thieves,  disreputable 
women,  and  vagabonds  of  every  sort  congregate  there. 


326  THE   USURPER. 

There,  too,  may  be  found  a  peculiar  class  of  men,  the 
Ronins.  These  are  young  men,  sometimes  noble,  dragged 
down  by  dissipation  to  the  lowest  stage  of  ignominy. 
Driven  from  their  homes  or  stripped  of  their  office,  but 
preserving  the  right  to  wear  two  swords,  they  take  refuge 
among  the  criminal  classes,  give  themselves  over  to  all 
sorts  of  shameful  industries,  assassinate  at  other  people's 
orders,  are  the  leaders  of  bands,  and  exercise  great  in- 
fluence over  the  villains  among  whom  they  live.  A  few 
hours  earlier  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  the  young 
girl  to  enter  this  region  without  being  attacked,  insulted, 
or  carried  by  main  force  into  some  of  the  evil  dens  of 
which  it  is  composed.  Fortunately  the  night  was  far 
advanced ;  the  streets  were  empty. 

But  another  obstacle  awaited  Omiti :  this  quarter  of 
the  city  is  shut  in  by  a  gate  guarded  by  a  watchman. 
How  could  she  make  him  open  the  door  at  this  hour  ? 
What  excuse  could  she  give  to  the  suspicious  and  prob- 
ably surly  keeper  1  Omiti  considered  this  as  she  walked. 
She  soon  saw  the  wooden  gate  at  the  end  of  a  street, 
lighted  by  several  lanterns  ;  she  noticed  the  hut,  made  of 
planks,  for  the  gatekeeper's  shelter. 

"  I  must  be  bold,"  she  thought ;  "  if  I  manifest  the 
slightest  uneasiness  he  will  distrust  me." 

She  inarched  straight  up  to  the  door.  The  man  was 
probably  asleep,  for  the  sound  of  her  footsteps  did  not 
bring  him  out.  Omiti  measured  the  gate  with  her  eye. 
It  was  impossible  to  climb  over ;  it  was  surmounted  by 
barbed  iron  wires. 

The  young  girl,  her  heart  beating  hard,  knocked  at  the 
hut.  The  keeper  came  out  with  a  lantern.  He  was  well 
wrapped  in  a  wadded  robe,  and  his  head  was  lost  in  the 
folds  of  a  brown  woollen  scarf;  he  looked  sickly,  and 
besotted  with  drink. 


THE  USURPER.  327 

"  What 's  the  matter  ? "  said  he,  in  a  hoarse  voice,  lifting 
his  lantern  to  a  level  with  Omiti's  face. 

"  Open  the  door,"  said  the  girl. 

The  fellow  burst  out  laughing. 

"  Open  the  door  at  this  time  of  night  1 "  he  cried ; 
"  you  're  crazy."  And  he  turned  on  his  heel. 

"  Stop  !  "  said  she,  holding  him  fast ;  "  my  father  is 
sick,  and  sent  me  to  fetch  the  doctor." 

"  Veiy  well,  there  are  plenty  of  doctors  here.  There  's 
one  not  ten  steps  away  ;  there  's  another  in  Grasshopper 
Street ;  and  still  a  third  at  the  corner  of  Thieves'  Lane." 

"But  my  father  has  no  faith  in  any  but  his  own 
physician,  who  lives  in  another  district." 

"  Go  home  and  to  sleep  !  "  said  the  man.  "  That 's  all  a 
lie ;  but  you  can't  fool  me.  Good  night !  " 

He  was  about  to  close  the  door  of  his  hut. 

"Let  me  pass,"  cried  Omiti,  in  despair,  "and  I  swear 
you  shall  be  paid  beyond  your  utmost  hopes." 

"You  have  money,  then1?"  said- the  keeper,  turning 
quickly  back. 

Omiti  recollected  that  she  had  a  few  kobangs  in  her 
sash,  and  said,  "  Yes." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  say  so  in  the  beginning  ] " 

He  took  the  monstrous  key  that  hung  from  his  belt 
and  went  to  the  gate.  Omiti  gave  him  a  kobang.  It 
was  a  large  amount  to  the  ill-paid  man,  who  drank  up 
his  wages  as  fast  as  he  earned  them. 

"  With  such  a  reason  in  your  hands,  there  was  no  need 
to  put  your  father  to  death  ! "  said  he,  throwing  open 
the  gate. 

"  Wrhich  is  the  shortest  way  to  reach  the  banks  of  the 
Yedogawa1?"  she  asked. 

"  Walk  straight  ahead.  You  '11  come  to  another  gate ; 
it  opens  on  the  shore." 


328  THE    USURPER. 

"  Thank  you  !  "  said  she. 

And  she  moved  rapidly  away.  The  road  was  better ; 
the  snow  had  been  shovelled  away  and  piled  in  heaps. 

"  Now  I  am  safe,"  thought  the  happy  girl,  heedless  of 
the  fatigue  that  weighed  her  down. 

She  gained  the  second  gate.  But  now  she  knew  what 
she  was  to  do  to  have  it  opened.  The  keeper  was  pacing 
up  and  down,  stamping  his  feet,  to  keep  warm. 

"  I  '11  give  you  a  kobang  if  you  '11  open  the  gate,"  she 
exclaimed. 

The  man  stretched  out  his  hand  and  put  the  key  in 
the  lock.  Omiti  passed  through ;  she  was  on  the  bank 
of  the  river.  She  had  only  to  climb  up  to  the  castle 
now.  The  road  was  long,  but  unimpeded.  She  walked 
bravely  forward,  drawing  her  gown  close  about  her,  to 
ward  off  the  .cold. 

The  guardians  Df  the  night  passed  on  the  other  shore, 
striking  their  tambourines,  to  announce  the  last  watch  of 
the  night.  When  the  young  girl  reached  the  castle,  a 
wan  and  pallid  light  was  struggling  to  break  through  the 
clouds.  The  snow  resumed  its  dazzling  bluish  whiteness ; 
it  seemed  to  radiate  light  rather  than  to  absorb  it  from 
that  gloomy  sky,  apparently  covered  with  reddish  smoke. 

The  castle  reared  its  imposing  mass  before  the  young 
girl's  gaze.  The  lofty  towers  stood  out  against  the 
heavens,  the  broad  roofs  of  the  princely  pavilions  were 
ranged  in  order;  the  cedars  along  the  first  terrace  had 
collected  on  their  evergreen  branches  heavy  lumps  of 
snow,  fragments  of  which  fell  from  time  to  time  and  slid 
from  bough  to  bough. 

Omiti  felt  the  tears  come  into  her  eyes  when  she  saw 
the  ruined  walls  and  the  filled-up  moats.  "  My  poor 
dear  Prince!"  she  said.  "You  have  given  yourself  up 
to  your  enemy ;  if  the  war  were  to  begin  again,  you 


THE   USURPER.  329 

would  be  lost.     At  least  you  shall  escape  once  more  from 
the  odious  conspiracy  contrived  against  you." 

All  were  asleep  in  the  castle,  except  the  sentinels 
pacing  to  and  fro ;  the  fallen  ramparts  were  replaced  by 
living  walls. 

At  the  moment  Omiti  touched  her  goal,  she  feared 
she  had  not  the  strength  to  take  the  few  steps  ne- 
cessary to  reach  the  fortress-gate.  Soaked  with  snow, 
spent  with  fatigue  and  excitement,  the  cold  morning  air 
made  her  shiver  from  head  to  foot.  Everything  swam 
before  her ;  her  pulses  throbbed  ;  there  was  a  singing  in 
her  ears.  She  hurried  to  the  gates ;  the  sentinels  crossed 
their  lances,  to  bar  her  way. 

"  No  passing  here  !  "  they  said. 

"  Yes  !  I  must  pass  at  once,  —  I  must  see  the  King,  or 
you  shall  be  severely  punished  !  "  cried  Omiti,  in  broken 
accents. 

The  soldiers  shrugged  their  shoulders.  "  Stand  back, 
woman;  you  are  drunk,  or  mad.  Begone!" 

"  I  beseech  you,  let  me  in.  Call  some  one  ;  I  feel  as 
if  I  were  dying.  But  first  I  must  speak  with  the  King ! 
I  must !  You  hear  ?  Do  not  let  me  die  before  I  have 
said  my  say." 

•/  */ 

Her  voice  was  so  sad  and  so  full  of  entreaty  that  the 
men  were  moved. 

"  What  ails  her  1 "  said  one.  "  She  is  pale  as  the  snow ; 
she  might  die,  as  she  says." 

"  And  if  she  has  something  to  tell !  " 

"  Let  us  take  her  to  the  Prince  of  Nagato ;  he  can 
decide  whether  it 's  worth  hearing." 

"  Well,  come  in  !  "  said  one  of  the  soldiers ;  "  we  pity 
you." 

Omiti  took  a  few  tottering  steps;  but  her  strength 
deserted  her.  She  hurriedly  snatched  from  her  bosom 


330  THE   USURPER. 

a  withered  flower  and  held  it  to  the  soldiers  ;  then,  with 
a  stifled  cry,  she  fell  backwards. 

The  embarrassed  and  uneasy  soldiers  looked  at  each 
other,  consulting  one  another  with  a  glance. 

"  If  she  is  dead,"  said  one,  "  we  shall  be  accused  of 
killing  her." 

"  We  'd  better  throw  her  into  the  river." 

"  Yes ;  but  how  are  we  to  touch  a  corpse  without 
making  ourselves  impure  1 " 

"  We  will  purify  ourselves  according  to  prescribed  laws  ; 
that  will  be  better  than  being  sentenced  to  have  our 
heads  cut  off." 

"  That 's  so  ;  let 's  be  quick.  Poor  thing !  it 's  a  pity," 
added  the  fellow,  leaning  over  Omiti.  "  But  then  it 's  her 
own  fault  :  why  did  she  die  like  that  1 " 

Just  as  they  were  about  to  raise  her  and  carry  her  to 
the  river,  a  clear  young  voice  was  heard  singing  :  — 

"Is  there  aught  on  earth  more  precious  than  saki  ? 
If  I  were  not  a  man,  I  would  fain  be  a  tun  !  "  . 

The  soldiers  sprang  back.  A  lad  came  forward  well 
wrapped  in  a  fur-trimmed  robe,  his  head  buried  in  a  hood 
tied  under  his  chin.  He  proudly  rested  his  velvet-gloved 
hand  upon  the  hilts  of  his  two  swords. 

It;  was  Loo  returning  from  a  nocturnal  revel  alone  and 
on  foot,  that  he  might  not  be  denounced  to  the  Prince 
of  Nagato  by  his  suite ;  for  Loo  had  a  suite  of  his  own, 
now  that  he  was  a  Samurai. 

"  What 's  going  on  here  1  Who  is  this  woman  stretched 
motionless  on  the  ground  ?  "  he  cried,  casting  a  terrible 
glance  from  one  soldier  to  the  other. 

The  soldiers  dropped  on  their  knees,  exclaiming  : 
"  Your  lordship,  we  are  innocent.  She  wanted  to  enter 
the  castle,  to  speak  to  the  Shogun  ;  touched  by  her 


THE    USURPER.  331 

prayers,  we  were  about  to  let  her  pass  and  to  conduct 
her  to  the  illustrious  Prince  of  Nagato,  when  all  at  once 
she  fell  dead." 

Loo  bent  over  the  young  girl.  "  Donkeys !  Dolts  ! 
Drinkers  of  milk  !  Trodden-down  shoes  !  "  he  shouted, 
in  a  rage,  "  don't  you  see  that  she  still  breathes,  that  she 
has  only  fainted  1  You  leave  her  there  in  the  snow  in- 
stead of  going  to  her  aid  1  To  cure  you  of  your  stupidity, 
I  '11  have  you  beaten  till  you  drop  dead  on  the  spot." 

The  soldiers  shook  in  every  limb. 

"  Come,"  continued  Loo,  "  lift  her  carefully,  and  follow 
me." 

The  men  obeyed.  As  they  entered  the  gate  of  the 
fortress,  the  young  Samurai  knocked  at  the  guard-house 
close  by.  "  Renew  the  sentinels  !  "  he  shouted  ;  "  I  need 
these  fellows." 

And  he  went  on.  The  Prince  of  Nagato  was  asleep. 
Loo  did  not  hesitate  to  rouse  him.  He  knew  that  the 
Shogun  was  trying  to  find  traces  of  a  young  girl  whom 
he  adored.  He  had  followed  the  King,  in  his  search 
through  the  city,  with  his  master.  The  fainting  woman, 
whom  be  had  just  found  at  the  castle  gate,  was  very  like 
the  portrait  sketched  by  Fide-Yori. 

"  Mastei*,"  he  said  to  the  Prince,  who,  still  but  half 
awake,  fixed  a  surprised  and  sleepy  gaze  upon  him, 
"  I  think  I  have  found  the  object  of  the  Shogun's 
search." 

"  Omiti !  "  exclaimed  Nagato  ;  "  where  did  you  find 
her  1 " 

"  In  the  snow !  But  come  quickly.  She  is  cold  and 
motionless ;  do  not  leave  her  to  die." 

The  Prince  slipped  on  a  fur-lined  garment,  and  ran  to 
the  room  where  Omiti  lay. 

"  This  may  well  be  the  one  we  have  sought,"  said  he, 


332  THE   USURPER. 

as  he  saw  her ;  "  let  some  one  call  the  Shogun.  But 
first  send  servant-women  here,  and  let  them  take  off  this 
young  girl's  wet  and  muddy  clothes.  Smnmon  also  the 
palace  doctor." 

Omiti  was  wrapped  in  the  softest  furs  ;  the  women 
stirred  up  the  fire  burning  in  a  huge  bronze  bowl.  The 
King  came  quickly.  From  the  threshold,  through  the 
open  panels,  he  saw  the  girl  in  the  midst  of  a  vast  heap 
of  splendid  furs  and  stuffs.  He  uttered  a  cry  of  joy, 
and  rushed  towards  her. 

"  Omiti,"  he  cried,  "  is  this  a  dream  1  Is  it  you  1  After 
so  long  a  separation  you  are  restored  to  me  at  last !  " 

At  the  King's  outburst  the  young  girl  trembled ;  she 
opened  her  eyes.  The  doctor  arrived,  breathless ;  he 
knelt  beside  her,  and  took  her  hand. 

"  It  is  nothing,"  said  he,  after  he  had  felt  her  pulse 
carefully ;  "a  slight  fainting  fit,  undoubtedly,  brought 
on  by  cold  and  fatigue." 

Omiti,  with  her  large  eyes  full  of  surprise,  shaded  by 
long  quivering  lashes,  gazed  at  the  people  grouped  about 
her.  She  saw  the  King  at  her  feet ;  standing  close  beside 
her,  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  smiling  kindly  at  her ;  then 
the  grave  face  of  the  doctor,  made  grotesque  by  an  enor- 
mous pair  of  spectacles.  She  thought  she  must  be  the 
toy  of  some  dream. 

"  Do  you  suffer,  my  sweet  love  ? "  said  Fide-Yori, 
clasping  Omiti's  little  hand  in  both  his  own.  "  What  has 
happened  to  you  1  Why  ate  you  so  pale  1 " 

She  looked  at  the  King,  and  heard  his  words  without 
comprehending  them.  Suddenly  her  memory  cleared ; 
she  rose  abruptly.  "  I  must  speak  to  the  Shogun  !  "  she 
cried  ;  "  to  him  alone,  and  at  once." 

With  a  gesture,  Fide-Yori  dismissed  the  spectators, 
but  detained  the  Prince  of  Nagato.  "You  can  speak 


THE    USURPER.  333 

before  him ;  he  is  my  dearest  friend,"  said  he.  "  But 
calm  yourself.  Why  do  you  look  so  frightened  1 " 

Omiti  tried  to  collect  her  ideas,  troubled  by  fever. 
"  Because,"  she  said,  "  Hieyas,  by  means  of  wily  emis- 
saries, is  inciting  the  citizens  of  Osaka  to  rebel,  and  to 
hate  their  lawful  lord.  An  insurrection  is  to  take  place 
this  very  night,  and  soldiers  disguised  as  mechanics  will 
land  upon  the  shore  in  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  They 
will  enter  the  city  and  march  upon  your  dismantled 
castle,  to  demand  that  you  shall  abdicate  your  title,  or  to 
kill  you  if  you  refuse.  You  do  not  doubt  my  words,  I 
hope  1  Once  already  you  have  had  proof,  alas  !  that  the 
misfortunes  I  predict  are  real." 

"  What !  "  cried  Fide-Yori,  his  eyes  filling  with  tears, 
"  was  it  to  save  me  yet  again  that  you  came  1  You  are 
the  good  genius  of  my  life  !  " 

"  Make  haste  and  give  your  orders  ;  take  measures  to 
prevent  the  crimes  which  are  impending,"  said  Omiti ; 
"  time  presses.  It  is  to  be  to-night,  do  you  understand  1 
Hieyas'  soldiers  are  to  invade  your  city  by  treachery." 

Fide-Yori  turned  to  the  Prince  of  Nagato.  "  Iwakura," 
said  he,  "  what  do  you  advise  me  to  do  ]" 

"  Let  us  warn  General  Yoke-Mo  ura.  Let  him  call  his 
men  to  arms,  and  watch  the  shore  and  the  city.  Is  there 
not  some  place  where  the  leaders  of  the  conspiracy  are  to 
meet  1 "  he  added,  addressing  Omiti. 

"  There  is,"  said  the  young  girl ;  "at  the  Day -break  Tnn." 

"  Very  good ;  then  we  must  surround  the  inn  and  seize 
the  rebels.  Do  you  desire,  master,  that  I  should  see 
your  orders  executed?" 

"You  will  make  me  happy,  friend,  by  doing  so." 

"  I  leave  you,  sire,"  said  Nagato.  "  Let  nothing  disturb 
you,  and  give  yourself  freely  up  to  the  joy  of  reunion 
with  the  woman  whom  you  love." 


334  THE    USURPER. 

The  Prince  withdrew. 

"  What  does  he  mean  ? "  thought  the  astonished  Omiti. 
"  The  woman  whom  you  love  :  of  whom  was  he  talk- 
ing?" 

She  was  alone  with  the  King,  and  dared  not  lift  her 
eyes ;  her  heart  throbbed  violently.  Fide-Yori,  too,  was 
troubled ;  he  did  not  speak,  but  gazed  at  the  lovely  girl 
who  trembled  before  him.  She,  lost  in  blushes,  twisted 
in  her  fingers  a  tiny  withered  twig. 

"What  have  you  in  your  hand1?"  gently  asked  the 
Shogun  ;  "  is  it  a  talisman  1 " 

"  Don't  you  recognize  the  spray  of  lemon-blossoms  which 
you  gave  me  when  I  saw  you  ?  "  said  she.  "  Just  now, 
when  I  fainted,  I  offered  it  to  the  sentinels.  I  thought 
that  they  would  take  it  to  you,  and  that  the  sight  of 
it  would  recall  me  to  you.  But  I  find  it  is  still  in  my 
hand." 

"  What !     You  kept  those  flowers  1 " 

Omiti  raised  her  clear  eyes  to  the  King,  revealing  her 
soul  in  her  face ;  then  dropped  them  quickly.  "  Because 
you  gave  them  to  me,"  said  she. 

"  You  love  me,  then?"  cried  Fide-Yori. 

"  0  master ! "  said  the  startled  girl,  "  I  should  never 
have  dared  to  confess  the  weakness  of  my  heart." 

"  You  will  not  confess  your  love  ?  Well !  I  love  you 
with  all  my  soul,  and  I  dare  to  tell  you  so." 

"You  love  me? — you,  the  Shogun?"  she  exclaimed, 
with  touching  amazement. 

"  Yes,  and  I  have  long  waited  your  .coming,  wicked  one. 
I  have  sought  you ;  I  was  plunged  in  despair  ;  you  have 
made  me  suffer  cruelly !  But  since  you  are  here,  all  is 
forgotten.  Why  did  you  delay  so  long?  Had  you  no 
thought  of  me  ? " 

"You  were  my   only  thought;   it  blossomed   like  a 


THE    USURPER.  335 

celestial  flower .  in  the  midst  of  my  sad  life ;  without 
it  I  should  have  died." 

"  You  thought  of  me,  while  I  groaned  at  your  absence  ; 
and  you  did  not  come1?" 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  had  deigned  to  remember 
me.  Besides,  had  I  known  it,  I  should  not  have  come." 

"  What ! "  cried  the  Shogun,  "  is  it  thus  you  love  me  1 
"Would  you  refuse  to  live  with  me  —  to  be  my  wife  1 " 

"  Your  wife  !  "  murmured  Orniti,  with  a  bitter  smile. 

"  Certainly,"  said  Fide-Yori ;  "  why  do  you  look  so 
sad  1 " 

"  Because  I  am  not  worthy  even  to  be  numbered  with 
your  servants  ;  and  when  you  learn  what  I  have  become, 
you  will  drive  me  from  you  with  loathing." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  cried  the  Shogun,  turning  pale. 

"  Listen,"  said  the  girl,  in  a  hollow  voice.  "  Hieyas 
came  to  my  father's  castle ;  he  found  out  that  I  had 
discovered  the  frightful  plot  against  your  life,  and  had 
betrayed  it ;  he  had  me  carried  away  and  sold  as  servant 
in  a  tavern  of  the  lowest  class.  There  I  have  lived  as 
women  live  who  are  slaves.  I  never  left  that  inn  until 
last  night.  Once  more  I  overheard  a  conspiracy  against 
you.  I  escaped  from  the  window  by  means  of  a  rope, 
which  broke.  Now  you  are  saved,  let  me  go  ;  it  is  not 
fit  that  you  should  stay  any  longer  in  the  company  of 
a  woman  like  me." 

"Hush!"  cried  Fide-Yori  ;  "what  you  tell  me  breaks 
my  heart.  But  do  you  think  that  I  could  cease  to  love 
you  1  What !  It  was  for  my  sake  you  were  reduced  to 
servitude ;  for  my  sake  you  have  suffered.  You  have 
saved  my  life  twice,  and  you  think  I  would  forsake  you  1 
woxild  scorn  you  ?  You  are  crazy.  I  love  you  more  than 
ever.  You  shall  be  queen ;  do  you  hear  me  ]  How 
many  women  in  your  condition  have  been  bought  and 


336  THE   USURPER. 

married  by  nobles.     You  are  here ;  you  shall  not  leave 
me." 

"0  master!"  exclaimed  Omiti,  "I  conjure  you, 
remember  your  rank ;  think  of  the  duty  you  owe  to 
yourself;  do  not  yield  to  a  passing  desire!" 

"  Hush,  cruel  girl !  "  said  the  King.  "  I  swear  that  if 
you  continue  to  drive  me  to  despair  I  will  slay  myself  at 
your  feet !  " 

Fide-Yori  put  his  hand  to  his  sword. 

"Oh!  no,  no!  "  shrieked  the  girl,  turning  ashy  pale 
"  I  am  your  slave  ;  do  with  me  as  you  will." 

"  My  beloved  queen  ! "  cried  Fide-Yori,  clasping  her  in 
his  arms,  "you  are  my  equal,  my  companion,  and  not  my 
slave.  It  is  not  merely  from  a  spirit  of  obedience  that 
you  yield,  is  it  1 " 

"  I  love  you  !  "  whispered  Omiti,  raising  her  beautiful 
eyes,  wet  with  tears,  to  the  King. 


THE   USURPER.  337 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

HENCEFORTH  MY  HOUSE  SHALL  BE  AT  PEACE. 

r  I  THE  leaders  of  the  conspiracy  were  all  ai-rested  at 
-*-  the  Day-break  Inn ;  but  the  soldiers  of  Hieyas, 
warned  betimes,  did  not  disembark  ;  so  that  although  the 
Shogun  was  certain  that  Hieyas  was  the  secret  head  of 
the  plot,  no  positive  proof  could  be  brought  against  him. 
Still  it  was  evident  that  civil  war  was  about  to  break  out 
again.  General  Yoke-Moura  thought  that  it  would  be 
best  to  take  the  initiative,  and  carry  the  war  into  the 
enemy's  country.  The  other  generals,  on  the  contrary, 
desired  to  collect  all  their  forces  in  and  around  Osaka, 
and  wait. 

Discord  ensued  among  the  leaders.  "You  are  too 
rash,"  they  said  to  Yoke-Moura. 

"  You  are  fools,"  replied  the  General. 

No  decision  was  reached.  Fide-Yori,  absorbed  in  his 
happiness,  would  not  hear  any  mention  of  the  war.  "  Let 
my  generals  do  their  work,"  said  he. 

At  the  entreaty  of  the  Prince  of  Nagato,  however,  he 
sent  to  Hieyas  an  aged  officer  named  Kiomassa,  whose 
prudence  and  devotion  were  well  known. 

"  Let  him  go  to  Mikawa  under  the  guise  of  peace," 
said  the  Prince,  "and  endeavor  to  find  out  whether 
Hieyas  really  means  to  resume  the  war.  The  Mikado 
ordered  him  to  preserve  the  peace ;  the  first  who  in- 

22 


338  THE   USURPER. 

fringes  upon  his  decree  will  incur  his  wrath.  If  war  is 
inevitable,  let  our  enemy  be  the  first  to  oifend.  Kiomassa 
owns  a  castle  in  the  outskirts  of  Mikawa ;  he  can  pay  a 
visit  to  Hieyas  on  his  way  to  his  estates  without  rousing 
suspicion." 

General  Kiomassa  set  off,  escorted  by  three  thousand 
troops.  "  I  have  come  to  make  you  a  neighborly  call," 
said  he  to  Hieyas,  as  he  entered  the  castle  of  Mikawa. 

Hieyas  received  him  with  a  mocking  smile.  "I  have 
always  held  you  in  high  esteem,"  he  said,  "and  I  am 
delighted  that  chance  has  brought  you  hither.  I  said 
this  morning  to  the  nobles  of  niy  household,  on  hearing 
of  your  arrival  in  my  dominions,  that,  save  for  three 
things,  I  saw  nothing  to  reprove  in  you." 

"  And  what  are  those  three  things  1 "  said  Kiomassa. 

"First,  you  travel  with  an  army,  which  is  strange  in 
time  of  peace ;  second,  you  possess  a  fortress,  which 
seems  to  threaten  my  provinces ;  third  and  last,  you  let 
your  beard  grow  under  your  chin,  contrary  to  the  pre- 
vailing style." 

Kiomassa  answered  without  seeming  disturbed :  "  I 
travel  with  an  army  to  preserve  myself  from  all  dan- 
ger, for  I  think  the  roads  insecure ;  I  have  a  fortress, 
of  course,  for  the  lodgment  of  that  army.  As  for  my 
beard,  it  is  very  useful  to  me ;  when  I  tie  my  helmet 
on,  it  makes  a  little  cushion  under  my  chin,  and  keeps  it 
from  being  chafed." 

"Very  good;  keep  your  beard,  but  shave  away  your 
castle,"  said  Hieyas,  smiling ;  "  your  soldiers  will  help 
you  with  the  work." 

"If  you  insist  upon  it,  I  will  ask  Fide-Yori  whether 
he  will  authorize  me  to  yield  the  castle  up  to  you.  I 
shall  soon  return  to  my  master.  Have  you  no  message 
to  send  him?" 


THE   USURPER.  339 

"  You  may  tell  him  that  I  am  angry  with  him,"  said 
Hieyas. 

"  For  what  cause  ? " 

"  Because  he  has  graven  the  characters  composing  my 
name  on  the  bronze  bell  which  he  consecrated  to  the 
temple  of  Buddha,  and  they  are  beaten  morning  and 
night." 

"What  do  you  mean  1 "  cried  Kiomassa.  "  Fide-Yori 
had  these  words  inscribed  upon  the  bell  :  '  Henceforth 
my  house  shall  be  at  peace.'  " 

"  I  tell  you  that  all  the  characters  in  my  name  are 
used  to  make  up  that  sentence  ;  and  it  is  upon  my  name 
the  priest  strikes  with  his  bronze  mallet,  accompanying 
the  blow  with  curses  on  my  head." 

"  I  will  inform  the  Shogun  that  this  coincidence  of- 
fends you,"  said  Kiomassa,  without  losing  one  whit  of  his 
composure. 

He  returned  to  Osaka,  and  told  how  he  was  received 
by  Hieyas.  The  mocking  insolence  and  the  idle  quarrel 
picked  by  the  aged  Regent  were  a  sufficient  indication  of 
his  hostile  purpose,  which  he  did  not  even  try  to  disguise. 

"  His  conduct  is  equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  war," 
said  Fide-Yori ;  "  we  should  consider  it  as  such.  How- 
ever, we  will  make  no  attack.  Let  Hieyas  stand  forth  ;  he 
will  not  do  so  immediately ;  we  shall,  undoubtedly,  have 
time  to  re-dig  the  moats  around  the  castle.  Let  the  work 
be  begun  at  once." 

Some  time  after  this,  Fide-Yori  repudiated  his  wife, 
the  granddaughter  of  Hieyas,  and  sent  her  back  to  her 
grandfather.  ^  He  at  the  same  time  announced  his  speedy 
marriage  with  Omiti,  to  whom  he  had  given  the  title  of 
Princess  of  Yamato. 

The  two  lovers  forgot  the  rest  of  the  world ;  their  hap- 
piness blinded  them ;  they  had  no  room  for  thought  of 


340  THE   USURPER. 

the  dangers  which  threatened  them.  Besides,  to  them 
the  only  misfortune  possible  was  to  be  parted ;  and  they 
were  sure,  if  any  disaster  occurred,  that  they  could  at 
least  die  together. 

They  had  revisited  the  lemon  grove.  Delicate  buds 
began  to  stud  the  branches,  for  spring  comes  quickly  in 
that  climate.  The  last  snow  has  scarcely  melted  when 
the  trees  grow  green.  They  wandered  down  the  misty 
garden-paths,  hand  in  hand,  enjoying  the  bliss  of  being 
together,  of  seeing  one  another  otherwise  than  in  imagi- 
nation or  in  a  dream ;  for  they  adored  each  other,  but 
did  not  know  each  other.  They  had  met  for  an  instant 
only,  and  the  mental  image  which  each  had  preserved  of 
the  other  was  incomplete  and  rather  different  from  real- 
ity. Every  moment  brought  them  some  fresh  surprise. 

"I  thought  you  were  shorter,"  said  Fide-Yori. 

"  Your  eyes  seemed  to  me  proud  and  scornful,"  said 
Omiti ;  "  but  they  are  full  of  infinite  tenderness." 

"  How  sweet  your  voice  is,  my  beloved  !  "  resumed 
the  King ;  "my  memory  perverted  its  divine  music." 

Sometimes  they  embarked  in  a  little  boat,  and  with 
one  stroke  of  the  oar  reached  the  middle  of  the  pond. 
Upon  the  bank  a  tall  willow  dipped  its  long  green 
branches  in  the  water ;  the  stiff  leaves  of  the  iris  pierced 
the  liquid  mirror ;  and  water-lilies  bloomed  on  its  surface. 
The  betrothed  pair  cast  their  lines,  and  the  hook  sank, 
making  a  series  of  circles  on  the  water.  But  the  fish 
nibbled  in  vain ;  in  vain  the  light  float  hovering  on  the 
surface  of  the  pond  danced  a  reckless  measure  ;  they 
heeded  it  not.  From  one  end  of  the  boat  to  the  other, 
they  gazed  fondly  at  each  other.  But  sometimes  they 
noticed  that  the  fish  set  them  at  nought ;  then  their 
clear  laughter  rang  out,  mingling  with  the  song  of  the 
birds. 


THE    USURPER.  341 

He  was  twenty-three,  she  eighteen.  Yet  it  was  Omiti 
who  occasionally  concerned  herself  about  the  war.  "  Do 
uot  forget  your  duties  as  a  king  in  your  love  for  me,1' 
said  she ;  "  do  not  forget  that  we  are  threatened  with 
war." 

"  Your  heart  is  at  peace  with  mine,"  said  Fide-Yori ; 
"  why  do  you  talk  of  war  ] " 

However,  the  Shogun  might  safely  devote  himself  to 
his  love.  The  Prince  of  Nagato  took  his  place,  arranged 
the  defence,  and  strove  to  bring  about  harmony  among 
the  generals,  who  were  all  at  odds,  and  only  thought  of 
thwarting  one  another.  Harounaga  in  particular  gave 
him  abundant  cause  for  anxiety.  He  forbade  his  men 
to  dig  the  moat  around  the  castle.  "  That  is  work  for 
slaves,"  said  he  ;  "  and  you  are  warriors." 

The  soldiers  of  the  other  companies,  unwilling  to  be 
less  sensitive  than  their  comrades,  in  their  turn  refused 
to  work.  So  that  after  the  lapse  of  a  mouth  and  a  half 
children  could  still  run  up  and  down  into  the  moat  at 
play.  Nagato  was  obliged  to  inflict  severe  punishments, 
and  order  was  restored  by  degrees. 

Signenari  pitched  his  camp  on  the  plain  to  the  north 
of  the  city ;  Yoke-Moura  took  up  his  quarters  on  the  hill 
called  Yoka-Yama,  and  Harounaga  on  Tchaousi-Yama. 
All  the  rest  of  the  troops  guarded  the  shore,  or  were  col- 
lected in  the  fortress.  Moreover,  Nagato  had  charged 
Tiaiden  and  his  mates  to  enlist  all  who  would  fight ;  and 
the  brave  sailors  had  gathered  ten  thousand  volunteers. 

Thus  defended,  it  was  difficult  to  take  the  city  by  sur- 
prise. Nagato's  eagle  eye  was  everywhere ;  he  had  for- 
tified the  two  bastions  which  stand  at  the  entrance  to 
Osaka,  on  either  side  of  the  river.  By  the  help  of  the 
canals  intersecting  the  entire  town,  by  destroying  a 
certain  number  of  bridges,  he  had  contrived  to  make  a 


342  THE   USURPER. 

moat,  and  to  insulate  the  district  containing  the  fortress. 
The  Prince  seemed  unwearied.  With  such  a  leader, 
who  thought  of  everything,  and  kindled  the  ardor  of 
the  troops  by  his  words  and  his  example,  the  city  might 
be  defended,  and  still  hope.  But  all  at  once  Nagato  left 
Osaka. 

One  evening  a  horseman  paused  at  the  door  of  his 
palace.  Nagato  recognized  Farou-So-Chan,  one  of  the 
nobles  especially  attached  to  the  service  of  the  Kisuki. 
Iwakura  never  saw  any  one  who  came  from  the  Dairi 
without  a  palpitation  of  the  heart.  On  this  occasion 
his  emotion  was  yet  more  marked.  Farou-So-Chan  was 
charged  with  a  particular  and  secret  mission. 

"  Here  is  a  letter  -which  the  Kisaki  directed  me  to 
place  in  your  hands,"  said  he,  with  a  melancholy  gravity 
which  struck  Nagato. 

He  unfolded  the  letter  with  trembling  fingers ;  it  ex- 
haled the  delicate  perfume  which  he  loved  so  much. 

It  read  as  follows  :  — 

"  On  the  tenth  day  of  the  fifth  moon  go  to  the  province  of  Ise, 
to  the  temple  of  Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin,  at  nightfall ;  kneel  on  the 
threshold  of  the  temple  and  remain  in  prayer  until  a  young  priest 
approaches  you  and  touches  you  on  the  shoulder  ;  then  rise  and 
follow  him  ;  he  will  conduct  you  to  me." 

Nagato  lost  himself  in  conjectures.  What  could  be 
the  meaning  of  this  singular  tryst  at  the  doors  of  the 
temple  of  the  Sun-Goddess  in  the  province  of  Ise  1  Was 
it  a  trap  ?  No  ;  for  Farou-So-Chan  was  the  messenger. 
But  then  he  should  see  her  again  ;  all  anxiety  faded 
before  that  delightful  prospect. 

The  tenth  day  of  the  fifth  moon  was  the  very  next 
day  but  one.  The  Prince  had  barely  time  to  reach  the 
spot  at  the  hour  appointed,  and  he  started  in  haste. 


THE   USURPER.  343 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

THE  HIGH-PKIESTESS  OF  THE  SUN. 

r  I  THE  earliest  temple  to  Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin  is  situated  in 
-*-  the  province  of  Ise,  and  is  bathed  by  the  waves  of 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  According  to  sacred  legend,  the  God- 
dess Sun  was  born  upon  the  very  site  of  the  temple. 

Here  antique  tradition  and  vague  legends  of  a  bygone 
age  are  religiously  preserved  by  the  priests,  who  meditate 
upon  the  deep  meaning  of  their  symbolism. 

In  the  mysterious  time  before  the  world  existed,  the 
confused  assemblage  of  elements  floated  in  space.  That 
which  afterwards  became  earth,  that  which  became  the 
heavens,  was  then  mingled  together  as  the  yolk  and  the 
white  are  blended  in  the  embryo  egg. 

But  three  immaterial  gods  arose,  —  the  Supreme  God, 
the  Creator  of  Souls,  and  the  Creator  of  Matter ;  and 
chaos  ceased.  The  heavy  and  opaque  bodies  were  gath- 
ered together,  and  formed  the  earth  ;  the  light  and  subtile 
portions  rose,  and  became  the  heavens. 

Soon  from  the  soft  and  slimy  mass  constituting  the  earth 
arose,  among  the  floating  fogs,  a  half-open,  velvety  flower, 
bearing  in  its  cup  the  nascent  Reed  God.  He  brooded 
for  countless  years  over  the  infant  world.  The  Spirit  of 
the  Waters  came  after  him,  and  reigned  for  a  thousand 
million  years. 

During  these  immeasurable  periods  of  time  one  god 


344  THE   USURPER. 

succeeded  to  another  in  heaven,  until  the  seventh  of  the 
divine  dynasties  ruled  in  the  invisible  ether. 

One  day,  from  the  height  of  a  bridge  that  spanned  the 
clouds,  the  God  Iza-Na-Gi  and  his  companion,  Iza-Na- 
Mi,  looked  down  upon  the  earth. 

"  I  see  nothing  but  an  immense  expanse  of  waters," 
said  the  God. 

He  stirred  the  surface  of  the  sea  with  his  jewel-tipped 
spear ;  the  mud  and  ooze  bubbled,  rose,  and  spread  over 
the  waters.  Thus  the  primitive  island  of  Japan  was 
formed.  Soon  it  was  covered  with  vegetation  ;  it  was 
peopled  with  birds  and  beasts,  and  became  so  attractive 
that  Iza-Na-Gi  and  his  companion  descended  and  came 
to  dwell  there.  The  birds  taught  them  "love,  and  the 
Sun-Goddess  was  born ;  then  the  divine  couple  gave 
birth  to  the  Spirits  of  the  Wind,  the  Rain,  and  the  Vol- 
cano ;  to  the  Moon  God,  "  who  gazes  through  the  dark- 
ness of  night;"  and  finally  to  the  first  men,  whose  pos- 
terity peopled  the  island.  Then  the  creators  of  Japan 
re-ascended  to  heaven,  confiding  the  government  of  the 
world  to  their  beloved  daughter,  the  Sun-Goddess. 

All  the  subjects  of  the  bright  divinity  are  bound,  at 
least  once  in  their  lifetime,  to  make  a  pilgrimage  to  her 
temple  at  Naikou,  to  purify  their  souls.  Therefore  that 
city  is  always  thronged  with  pilgrims  coming  and  going,  — 
some  in  norimonos  or  on  horseback  ;  others,  —  and  these 
are  more  meritorious,  —  on  foot,  carrying  a  straw  mat 
which  serves  as  bed,  and  a  long  wooden  spoon,  to  di.p 
water  from  the  roadside  stream. 

The  temple  is  of  the  utmost  simplicity  of  construction. 
It  is  a  small  structure,  open  on  one  side,  surmounted  by 
a  broad  thatched  roof,  surrounded  by  hundred-year-old 
cedars,  and  preceded  at  the  distance  of  twenty  paces  by 
a  tory,  or  sacred  gateway,  composed  of  two  tall  posts 


THE   USURPER.  345 

leaning  slightly  together,  and  united  at  the  top  by  two 
crossbeams,  the  uppermost  being  arched  upwards  at  the 
ends.  The  temple  contains  nothing  but  a  large  round  mir- 
ror of  polished  metal,  —  symbol  of  purity  and  perspicacity. 

Opposite  this  mirror,  upon  the  few  wooden  steps  lead- 
ing to  the  temple,  the  Prince  of  Nagato  knelt  at  the 
moment  appointed  by  the  Kisaki.  It  was  already  night ; 
the  moon  had  risen,  and  its  light,  broken  by  the  thick 
screen  of  leaves  and  branches,  fell  upon  the  ground. 
Solitude  reigned  around  the  temple ;  the  priests  had  re- 
turned to  the  sumptuous  pagodas  adjacent  to  this  rus- 
tic monument  of  the  earliest  ages;  the  pilgrims  had 
departed;  nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  low  rustle 
of  the  cedars  in  the  wind. 

The  Prince  listened.  Involuntarily  impressed  by  the 
sanctity  of  the  spot,  the  night  seemed  strangely  solemn 
to  him.  The  silence  was  somewhat  menacing ;  the  shade 
of  the  cedars  was  hostile ;  the  azure  eye  of  the  moon 
seemed  to  weep  upon  his  upturned  face.  Why  did  such 
unspeakable  agony  oppress  his  soul  1  What  was  he  about 
to  hear  1  Why  was  the  Queen  at  Naikou,  instead  of  at 
her  palace?  A  hundred  times  he  asked  himself  these 
questions,  which  he  could  not  answer. 

At  last  he  felt  a  light  touch  on  his  shoulder ;  he  rose ; 
a  young  bonze  stood  beside  him  ;  he  walked  away  without 
a  word.  Nagato  followed. 

They  traversed  bamboo  groves,  avenues  of  cedars,  and 
reached  a  broad  stone  staircase,  rising  between  two  slopes, 
upon  which  the  moon  cast  a  snowy  light ;  they  climbed 
these  stairs,  leading  to  the  terrace  of  a  high  pagoda,  whose 
pointed  roof,  narrow  as  an  inverted  lily,  was  terminated 
by  a  slender  spire. 

The  young  bonze  paused,  signed  to  Nagato  to  remain 
where  he  was,  and  retired.  The  Prince  then  saw  a  white 


346  THE    USURPER. 

form  issuing  from  the  pagoda  and  advancing  towards  him 
from  the  shadow  of  the  roof.  The  light  of  the  moon 
struck  full  upon  it,  and  he  recognized  the  Kisaki.  She 
was  clad  in  a  long  sleeveless  tunic  of  white  silk,  over  a 
garment  of  cloth  of  gold.  It  was  the  di'ess  of  the  high- 
priestess  of  the  Sun. 

"  Queen ! "  cried  the  Prince,  springing  toward  her, 
"  am  I  the  victim  of  a  dream  1  That  dress  —  " 

"  Is  henceforth  mine,  Iwakura,"  said  she.  "  I  have 
laid  aside  my  crown  ;  I  have  drawn  nearer  to  Heaven. 
Still,  from  a  last  feeling  of  weakness,  I  wanted  to  see  you 
once  more,  to  bid  you  farewell  for  ever." 

"  Ah  !  perjured  one  !  "  exclaimed  the  Prince  ;  "  so  this 
is  the  way  you  keep  your  promises  !  " 

"  Come,"  said  the  Queen,  "  the  night  is  mild  ;  let  us 
leave  this  exposed  place." 

They  entered  a  long  path  bordered  with  bushes  and 
filled  with  silvery  mists. 

"  Listen,"  said  she ;  "  and  do  not  condemn  me  un- 
heard. Many  things  have  happened  since  you  left  Kioto. 
Know,  friend,  that  on  the  day,  — the  recollection  of  which 
still  charms  me  against  my  will,  —  the  day  on  which  you 
saved  me,  and  we  talked  together  so  long,  sitting  beneath 
a  bush,  a  man  was  listening  to  all  we  said." 

"  Impossible  !  "  cried  the  Prince,  in  alarm. 

"  It  is  true ;  he  who  carried  me  off,  instead  of  escap- 
ing, returned  and  overheard  us.  He  was  a  spy  of  Hieyas. 
That  perfidious  wretch  knew  how  to  profit  by  the  secret 
which  his  servant  discovered ;  he  revealed  it  to  the  Mi- 
kado. At  first  the  Son  of  the  Gods  was  incredulous  ; 
he  was  filled  with  indignation  against  the  infamous  vil- 
lain who  stained  the  land  with  blood.  But  by  skilful 
wiles  Hieyas  contrived  to  change  the  sentiments  of  the 
Mikado,  and  to  win  his  confidence.  He  cited,  as  a  proof 


THE   USURPER.  347 

of  our  guilty  understanding,  your  devotion  and  heroic 
conduct  at  the  time  of  the  attack  on  Kioto.  Then  the 
Son  of  the  Gods  called  me  to  him,  and  when  I  stood  be- 
fore him  he  handed  me  a  paper  upon  which  our  conver- 
sation was  reported,  but  perverted  and  made  infamous. 
Falsehood  never  stained  my  lips.  I  proudly  owned  that 
my  heart  was  yours,  though  never  while  I  lived  should  I 
have  cause  to  blush  for  my  deeds.  But  after  this  con- 
fession I  could  no  longer  remain  at  the  Dairi.  The  high- 
priestess  of  Ten-Sio-Dai-Tsin  had  died  some  time  previous. 
She  was  my  husband's  sister.  I  asked  permission  to  fill 
her  sacred  office,  desiring  to  end  my  life  in  retreat.  The 
Mikado  at  once  sent  me  the  title  that  I  craved,  and  a 
few  days  later  married  the  granddaughter  of  Hieyas,  — 
a  child  of  fifteen." 

"  Oh,  grief ! "  exclaimed  the  Prince,  falling  at  the 
Queen's  feet.  "  For  my  sake,  you  have  descended  from 
your  throne ;  you  have  left  the  palace  of  your  ancestors, 
to  kneel,  sad  and  alone,  in  the  shade  of  a  temple,  — you, 
the  smiling  divinity  whom  a  whole  nation  adored." 

"  I  shall  love  this  solitude,  Iwakura,"  said  she.  "  Here 
at  least  I  am  free  ;  I  am  delivered  from  the  affection  of 
a  husband  whom  I  did  not  love,  although  he  was  a  god. 
My  thoughts  shall  be  wholly  yours." 

"  Why  will  you  not  fly  with  me  1  Have  we  not  suf- 
fered enough  ]  You  love  me,  and  I  only  breathe  because 
you  are  on  this  earth.  Why  should  we  torture  ourselves 
thus  1  Come  !  Let  us  exile  ourselves !  You  are  my 
country ;  my  world  is  the  spot  where  your  feet  rest ! 
What  do  we  care  for  what  the  gossips  say  1  The  celestial 
music  of  our  love  will  drown  their  despicable  voices. 
What  does  the  bird  who  soars  aloft,  intoxicated  with  light, 
care  for  the  hiss  of  the  reptiles  writhing  in  the  swampy 
mire  ? " 


348  THE   USURPER. 

"  Hush,  friend  !  "  said  she ;  "  do  not  make  me  repent 
my  wish  to  see  you  once  more." 

"  Why  will  you  not  hear  me  1  why  are  you  so  merciless, 
so  cruel  1  If  your  husband  has  taken  another  wife,  you 
are  free." 

"  No,  Prince,  I  have  not  fallen  so  low ;  the  Mikado  has 
added  one  more  to  the  number  of  his  wives,  but  he  has 
not  raised  her  to  the  rank  which  I  held.  I  am  his  equal, 
and  he  is  still  my  lord  and  master.  If  I  were  really 
free,  despite  the  blame  I  might  incur,  I  would  drain  the 
nuptial  cup  with  you,  and  I  would  live  wherever  you 
liked." 

"  Ah  !  I  will  kill  the  man  who  parts  us  ! "  cried  the 
Prince,  whose  mind  began  to  wander. 

"  Silence,  Iwakura ! "  said  the  Queen,  in  a  grave  voice. 
"  Behold  the  dress  I  wear ;  think  what  I  am.  Hence- 
forth I  belong  to  this  world  no  more  ;  its  fevers,  its  follies 
can  touch  me  no  longer.  Purified  by  the  divine  flame  of 
the  Sun,  I  must  meditate  upon  her  mysterious  and  crea- 
tive essence,  become  absorbed  in  her  splendor,  let  her 
rays  penetrate  my  being,  identify  myself  with  her  light, 
and  become  as  pure  as  she,  until  the  day  when  my  soul 
shall  fly  hence  and  receive  its  merited  reward." 

"  Forgive  me  !  "  said  the  Prince.  "  What  matters  one 
man's  despair"?  I  was  mad  to  entreat  you.  See,  I  am 
calm  now,  —  calm  as  the  dead  in  their  tombs.  Forgive 
me  for  offending  your  ears  by  my  too  human  words." 

"  I  have  power  to  pardon  you  now,"  said  she  ;  "  and 
I  absolve  you  with  all  my  soul.  Rise,  friend !  we  must 
part." 

They  retraced  their  steps.  At  the  end  of  this  path, 
bathed  in  diffused  light,  all  would  be  over  for  them  ;  they 
must  part  to  meet  no  more.  Involuntarily  the  high- 
priestess  slackened  her  pace.  The  Prince's  sudden  calm 


THE   USURPER.  349 

terrified  her ;  she  felt  assured  that  it  was  the  result  of  an 
irrevocable  resolve.  He  was  silent,  and  gazed  at  her  with 
a  peaceful  expression. 

"  He  means  to  die,"  thought  she.  But  she  felt  that 
nothing  she  might  say  would  shake  him  in  his  determi- 
nation. 

They  had  reached  the  end  of  the  garden- walk,  and 
advanced  along  the  terrace. 

"  Farewell !  "  said  she. 

As  she  uttered  the  word,  her  heart  seemed  to  break 
within  her ;  she  was  on  the  point  of  falling  into  the 
Prince's  arms,  exclaiming :  "  Take  me ;  let  us  go  where 
you  will !  " 

"  Farewell !  "  he  whispered  ;  "  do  not  forget  that  you 
have  given  me  your  tryst  on  the  threshold  of  another 
life." 

She  fled  with  a  sob.  As  she  reached  the  pagoda,  she 
turned  back  for  the  last  time.  She  seemed  some  super- 
natural being,  standing  in  the  moonlight,  in  her  robe  of 
gold,  which  glittered  beneath  her  silk  tunic,  white  as  her 
face.  Iwakura  stretched  out  his  arms  to  her;  but  the 
high-priestess  of  the  Sun  vanished  in  the  darkness,  which 
wrapped  her  round  and  hid  her  forever. 


350  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

BATTLES. 

~j  TIEYAS  was  at  the  gates  of  Osaka  with  an  army  of 
-• — *-  three  hundred  thousand  men.  Coming  from  the 
northern  provinces,  he  had  traversed  the  great  Island  of 
Nipon,  crushing,  as  he  passed,  the  detachments  stationed 
to  guard  the  country.  The  soldiers  of  Fide-Yori  died 
like  heroes  ;  not  one  flinched.  The  troops  of  the  princes, 
on  the  contrary,  made  but  a  feeble  resistance.  However, 
it  was  impossible  to  stay  the  course  of  Hieyas'  army, 
mighty  as  a  river  swollen  by  rain.  It  reached  Osaka, 
and  surrounded  the  city.  Without  pausing  for  rest,  it 
attacked  the  town  simultaneously  on  every  side. 

Fide-Yori  had  divided  his  army  into  three  bodies  of 
fifty  thousand  each  :  Signenari  and  Moritzka  commanded 
the  first ;  Harounaga,  Moto-Tsoumou,  and  Aroufza,  the 
second  ;  Yoke-Moura,  the  third.  The  soldiers  were  val- 
iant ;  their  leaders  determined  to  die  if  they  could  not 
conquer. 

The  first  shock  of  arms  was  terrible.  The  men  fought 
with  unparalleled  fury  and  desperation.  Had  their  num- 
bers been  equal,  Fide-Yori's  troops  must  have  carried  the 
day ;  they  were  so  resolved  to  be  slaughtered  rather  than 
retreat,  that  they  were  not  to  be  shaken.  General  Yoke- 
Moura  was  attacked  by  twenty  thousand  men  armed  with 
muskets,  having  himself  but  ten  thousand  stationed  on 


THE   USURPER.  351 

the  hill  called  Yoka-Yama  ;  his  men  also  had  guns.  One 
discharge  of  musketry  followed  another  in  rapid  succes- 
sion, until  the  ammunition  was  exhausted.  Yoke-Moura 
was  only  waiting  for  that  moment,  having  noticed  that  his 
adversaries  were  merely  armed  with  guns  and  swords,  and 
carried  no  lances.  He  then  rushed  headlong  down  the 
hill.  His  troops,  lance  in  hand,  fell  upon  their  opponents, 
who,  almost  defenceless,  fled  in  disorder. 

Signenari,  too,  after  a  bloody  battle  succeeded  in 
driving  back  the  enemy ;  but  at  all  other  points  the 
generals,  overwhelmed  by  numbers,  were  defeated,  and 
forced  to  retreat  into  the  interior  of  the  town  with  what 
soldiers  remained  to  them. 

Evening  came,  and  brought  a  pause  in  the  fighting. 
The  weary  soldiers  lay  down  in  the  city  streets,  on  the 
bridges,  on  the  banks  of  the  various  canals.  Signenari 
and  Yoke-Moura  alone  were  still  outside  Osaka,  one  on 
the  plain,  the  other  on  the  hill. 

When  night  had  fairly  come,  a  man  advanced  to  the 
foot  of  Yoka  hill  and  asked  to  speak  with  General 
Sanada-Sayemon-Yoke-Moura,  having  a  message  from 
Hieyas.  He  was  conducted  to  the  warrior's  tent,  and 
Yoke-Moura  recognized  one  of  his  former  companions- 
in-arms. 

"  You  come  from  Hieyas  ?  You  !  "  exclaimed  the  Gen- 
eral, in  a  tone  of  reproach. 

"  Yes,  friend,  I  believe  in  the  powerful  genius  of  that 
man  ;  I  know  how  much  his  triumph  will  benefit  the 
nation.  And  yet,  now  that  I  stand  before  you,  I  scarcely 
dare  mention  the  offer  which  I  am  directed  to  make 
you." 

"  Then  it  is  a  disgraceful  one." 

"  Judge  for  yourself.  Hieyas  feels  the  highest  respect 
for  your  valor,  and  he  thinks  that  to  vanquish  you  would 


352  THE    USURPER. 

be  a  defeat  for  him  ;  because  your  death  would  rob  the 
country  of  its  noblest  soldier.  He  proposes  that  you 
should  join  his  standard ;  your  terms  shall  be  his." 

"  If  Hieyas  really  feels  a  particle  of  respect  for  me," 
replied  Yoke-Moura,  "  why  does  he  feign  to  think  me 
capable  of  selling  myself1?'  You  can  tell  him  that  were 
he  to  give  me  half  Japan,  I  would  not  even  consider  his 
offer;  and  that  it  is  my  glory  to  remain  loyal  to  the 
master  whom  I  have  always  served,  and  for  whom  I 
would  gladly  die." 

"  I  was  prepared  for  your  answer ;  and  if  I  accepted 
the  mission  offered  to  me,  it  was  only  from  a  desire  to 
see  my  old  comrade  once  more." 

"You  did  not  fear  the  just  reproaches  I  might  lavish 
upon  you1?" 

"  No ;  for  I  did  not  feel  myself  guilty.  Now  a  strange 
remorse  torments  me  at  the  sight  of  your  calm,  brave 
loyalty.  I  see  that  my  deeds,  dictated  by  wisdom,  are 
not  worth  the  folly  of  your  blind  fidelity." 

"  Well !  it  is  not  too  late  to  repent ;  stay  with  us." 

"  I  will  do  so,  friend.  If  I  fail  to  return,  Hieyas  will 
understand  that  the  man  who  came  to  buy  you  with 
bribes  has  given  you  his  soul." 

The  same  proposal  was  made  to  General  Signenari. 

"  Hieyas  offers  to  gratify  my  every  desire  !  "  exclaimed 
the  youthful  General.  "  Very  well;  then  let  him  send  me 
his  head ! " 

Next  day  considerable  forces  were  gathered  before 
Signenari's  camp.  The  young  warrior  knew  that  the 
battle  in  which  he  was  about  to  engage  must  be  his  last. 
He  went  the  rounds  of  the  camp,  exhorting  his  men  before 
the  fight.  Grave,  gentle,  and  handsome  as  any  woman, 
he  passed  along  the  ranks,  telling  his  attentive  men  how 
slight  a  value  should  be  attached  to  life ;  not  hiding  the 


THE   USURPER.  353 

fact  that  the  result  of  the  day  must  be  either  death  or 
dishonor.  He  added  that  a  glorious  death  was  enviable, 
and  the  life  of  a  coward  not  worth  that  of  a  dog. 

He  then  returned  to  his  tent,  and  despatched  a  message 
to  his  mother,  informing  her  that  he  was  about  to  die, 
and  sending  her  a  costly  dagger  in  remembrance  of  him- 
self. Next  he  stepped  to  the  mirror;  and  pouring  per- 
fume upon  his  head,  placed  on  it  his  helmet  of  black 
horn,  crowned  in  front  with  a  copper  plate  of  crescent 
shape ;  he  tied  it  under  his  chin,  and  cut  the  loose  ends 
of  silk  cord.  This  signified  that  he  would  never  untie 
them  again ;  that  he  vowed  himself  to  death.  If  his 
head  were  taken  to  the  victor,  the  latter  would  under- 
stand that  he  had  allowed  himself  to  be  killed  volun- 
tarily. 

The  battle  began,  Signenari  opening  the  attack ;  he 
rushed  eagerly  forward  at  the  head  of  his  men.  The 
first  of  the  fight  was  favorable  to  them ;  they  broke  the 
enemy's  ranks,  and  slaughtered  great  numbers  of  them. 
Signenari's  army,  decimated  the  night  before,  and  reduced 
to  scanty  numbers,  pierced  the  enemy's  ranks  as  a  ship 
ploughs  through  the  waves ;  but  they  closed  behind  the 
little  band,  who  were  surrounded  and  captured,  but  still 
undaunted.  The  soldiers  of  Hieyas  thought  they  had 
imprisoned  the  whirlwind.  Desperate  men  are  terrible. 
The  carnage  was  awful ;  the  wounded  went  on  fighting ; 
the  earth,  bathed  in  blood,  grew  slippery ;  men  stum- 
bled in  the  mud ;  it  seemed  almost  as  if  it  had  rained. 
But  ten  thousand  men  could  not  hold  out  long  against 
one  hundred  thousand.  Still  the  heroes  who  encircled 
the  youthful  leader  were  not  conquered ;  they  did  not 
flinch ;  they  met  death  on  the  ground  that  had  been 
wrested  from  them.  But  their  numbers  lessened  rapidly  ; 
soon  there  was_  nothing  left  in  the  centre  of  the  army 
23 


354  THE   USURPER. 

but  a  vast  heap  of  corpses.  Signenari,  covered  with 
wounds,  fought  on  like  a  lion  ;  he  was  alone.  The  enemy 
wavered  before  him,  they  admired  his  courage ;  but  some 
one  shot  an  arrow  at  him,  and  he  fell. 

Hieyas  was  on  the  battle-field  in  a  litter.  His  men 
brought  him  the  fair  young  head  of  Signenari.  He  saw 
that  the  helmet-strings  were  cut,  and  inhaled  the  perfume 
with  which  the  hair  was  soaked. 

"  He  preferred  death  to  joining  my  cause,"  he  said,  with 
a  sigh.  "  This  victory  saddens  me  as  if  it  were  a  defeat." 

The  same  day  Fide-Yori,  sending  for  Yoke-Moura, 
asked  him  what  now  remained  to  be  done. 

"  We  must  attempt  a  general  sortie  to-morrow,"  he 
replied.  "All  the  remnants  of  the  various  armies  as- 
sembled in  the  city  make  a  sum  total  of  about  sixty  thou- 
sand men ;  to  which  we  must  add  the  garrison  of  the 
fortress,  the  ten  thousand  men  still  left  of  my  command, 
and  the  ten  thousand  volunteers  that  you  have  collected. 
We  may  venture  to  undertake  the  struggle." 

"  Shall  you  return  to  the  city  1  "  asked  the  Shogun. 

"  It  will  be  better,  I  think,  for  me  to  keep  my  ad- 
vanced position  on  the  hill.  When  the  army  is  set  in 
motion  I  will  attack  the  enemy  from  another  point,  so 
that  he  may  be  obliged  to  divide  his  forces." 

All  the  officers  were  called  together  for  consultation. 
The  gravity  of  the  situation  silenced  the  quarrels  which 
usually  separated  them  ;  all  yielded  to  Yoke-Moura. 

"The  enemy's  forces  extend  entirely  round  the  city," 
said  the  General;  "so  that  at  whatever  point  you  make 
your  attack,  you  will  be  met  by  numbers  fully  equal  to 
your  own.  The  sortie  must  be  effected  on  the  south,  so 
that,  if  possible,  you  may  drive  the  enemy  into  the  sea. 
Let  the  leaders  cheer  their  men  by  word  and  deed,  and 
we  may  triumph  yet." 


THE   USURPER.  355 

"  I  will  take  my  place  at  the  head  of  the  army,"  cried 
Fide-Yori.  "Let  the  royal  insignia,  borne  before  my 
father  in  battle,  be  drawn  from  their  velvet  cases,  and 
the  gilded  gourds  mounted  on  scarlet  handles,  which 
have  always  been  the  signal  for  victory  whenever  they 
appeared,  be  brought  forward.  That  reminder  of  Taiko- 
Sama  will  inspire  the  men;  it  will  recall  the  former 
triumphs,  the  glorious  battles  won  in  its  shadow.  This 
talisman  will  protect  us,  and  will  fill  the  perfidious  Hieyas 
with  alarm,  calling  up  before  him  the  image  of  the  man 
whose  trust  he  has  betrayed." 

The  generals  returned  to  their  troops,  to  prepare  them 
for  the  decisive  battle  of  the  morrow.  Fide-Yori  hastened 
to  his  betrothed.  "  This  may  be  the  last  day  that  we 
shall  spend  together,"  he  said;  "I  must  not  lose  a 
second  of  it." 

"What  say  you,  sire?"  asked  Omiti.  "If  you  die,  I 
die  too ;  and  we  shall  be  reunited  —  to  part  no  more." 

"  Never  mind,"  said  the  King,  with  a  sad  smile ;  "  I 
could  wish  that  our  happiness  had  lasted  a  little  longer 
upon  this  earth,  —  it  has  been  so  brief,  and  my  misery  so 
long.  And  you  !  so  gentle,  so  devoted,  you  have  suffered 
ills  of  every  sort  for  my  sake ;  and  for  your  reward,  when 
I  longed  to  load  you  with  riches,  honors,  and  joy,  I  can 
only  offer  you  the  spectacle  of  the  horrors  of  war  and  the 
prospect  of  speedy  death." 

"  You  gave  me  your  love,"  replied  Omiti. 

"  Oh,  yes !  "  cried  the  King ;  "  and  that  love,  which 
was  my  first,  would  have  been  my  last ;  it  would  have 
filled  my  whole  life.  Why  can  I  not  carry  you  far  from 
here,  —  escape  this  struggle  and  this  slaughter  1  What 
care  I  for  power1?  It  never  gave  me  any  pleasure.  To 
live  with  you  in  some  deep  retreat,  forgetting  men  and 
their  guilty  ambitions,  —  that  would  be  true  felicity." 


356  THE   USURPER. 

"  Let  us  not  think  of  that,"  said  Omiti ;  "  it  is  an  idle 
dream.  To  die  together  is  an  additional  delight,  which 
will  not  be  denied  us." 

"  Alas  !  "  cried  the  Shogun,  "  my  youth  revolts  at  the 
thought  of  death.  Since  I  have  found  you  again,  dear 
heart,  I  have  forgotten  the  contempt  which  I  was  tanght 
for  this  transitory  life  ;  I  love  it,  and  I  would  not  quit  it." 

Under  cover  of  night,  Harounaga  contrived  to  regain 
the  heights  of  Tchaousi,  which  he  had  lost.  General 
Yoke-Moura  had  advised  him  to  make  the  attempt,  whose 
success  would  allow  him  to  protect  the  Shogun's  sally. 

All  was  ready  for  the  final  effort :  the  soldiers  were 
full  of  ardor;  their  leaders  were  hopeful.  Fide-Yori  was 
encouraged;  he  believed  that  they  would  be  victorious. 
One  thing,  however,  grieved  him,  and  that  was  the  absence 
at  this  supreme  moment  of  his  most  faithful  friend,  his 
wisest  counsellor,  the  Prince  of  Nagato.  What  had  be- 
come of  him  ]  What  had  happened  to  him  1  No  news 
had  been  heard  of  him  since  he  left  Osaka  so  abruptly, 
three  weeks  before. 

"  He  is  dead,  since  he  is  not  by  my  side  in  the  hour 
of  danger,"  thought  the  Shogun,  sighing  heavily. 

From  the  earliest  dawn  the  inhabitants  of  Osaka 
thronged  the  approaches  to  the  fortress ;  they  wanted 
to  see  the  Shogun  come  forth  from  the  castle  in  battle 
array,  in  the  midst  of  his  richly  dressed  warriors.  While 
they  waited  they  chatted  with  the  soldiers  encamped  in 
the  streets,  pouring  them  out  bumpers  of  saki.  The 
aspect  of  the  city  was  joyful ;  in  spite  of  all  that  had 
occurred,  the  gay  disposition  of  the  citizens  gained  the 
upper  hand.  They  were  going  to  see  a  fine  sight ;  they 
were  happy. 

Towards  the  eighth  hour  the  gates  of  the  second  wall 
of  the  stronghold  were  opened  wide,  and  revealed  a  con- 


THE   USURPER.  357 

fused  mass  of  banners  floating  among  the  bright  rays  of 
the  tall  spears. 

The  first  division  of  the  Shogun's  lancers  advanced, 
wearing  cuirasses ;  on  their  heads  the  helmet  with  visor, 
hollowed  at  the  neck,  and  ornamented  over  the  forehead 
with  a  sort  of  copper  crescent;  lance  in  hand,  a  little  flag 
fastened  behind  the  left  shoulder.  Then  came  the  archers, 
their  brows  bound  with  a  strip  of  white  stuff,  the  ends 
streaming  behind  them,  their  backs  bristling  with  long 
arrows,  holding  in  their  hands  the  tall  lacquer  bow. 
After  them  marched  strange  creatures,  who  looked  more 
like  huge  insects  or  fantastic  shellfish  than  like  men. 
Some  wore  above  their  grinning  black  masks  a  large  hel- 
met decked  with  copper  antennae  ;  others  had  their  heads 
adorned  with  monstrous  horns  curving  inward,  and  their 
masks  bristled  with  red  or  white  mustaches  and  eyebrows ; 
or  else  they  had  a  hood  of  mail  brought  over  the  face  and 
head,  leaving  nothing  visible  but  their  eyes.  The  plates 
of  their  armor,  made  of  black  horn,  were  square,  heavy, 
and  oddly  arranged ;  still,  beneath  the  parti-colored  silken 
stitches  fastening  the  sheets  of  horn  together,  they  pro- 
duced a  fine  effect.  These  warriors,  dressed  as  were  their 
ancestors,  were  armed  with  halberds,  monstrous  bows, 
and  two-handed  swords.  They  filed  by  in  long  lines,  to 
the  great  admiration  of  the  people.  At  last  Fide-Yori 
appeared  upon  a  horse  with  braided  mane.  Before  him 
were  borne  the  gilded  gourds,  which  had  never  been 
taken  from  the  castle  since  the  last  victories  of  Taiko- 
Sama.  They  were  hailed  with  enthusiastic  shouts. 

"  I  intrust  them  to  you,"  cried  Fide-Yori,  showing  his 
army  the  glorious  insignia.  He  said  no  more ;  and  draw- 
ing his  sword,  rode  off  at  a  gallop. 

The  whole  army,  moving  with  heroic  impetus,  left  the 
city.  The  people  followed  them  beyond  the  suburbs. 


358  THE    USURPER. 

From  the  summit  of  the  hill,  Yoke-Moura  watched 
Fide-Yori  and  his  troops  march  out  from  Osaka  and 
deploy  in  the  plain.  He  awaited  the  Shogun's  first 
offensive  movement  to  attack  Hieyas'  men. 

"  Certainly,"  thought  the  General,  "  victory  is  possible. 
Sigucnari,  who  met  death  so  nobly  yesterday,  did  the 
enemy  much  injury ;  I  myself  repulsed  with  considerable 
loss  the  detachment  which  attacked  my  position.  We 
may  cut  to  pieces  that  division  of  the  army  upon  which 
the  Shogun  pounces.  Then  the  two  hostile  forces  will  be 
almost  equal ;  and  with  equal  numbers  we  shall  surely 
triumph." 

Fide-Yori's  army  halted  on  the  plain,  occupying  the 
ground  where  Signeuari's  camp  had  been  pitched  the  day 
before. 

"  What  can  they  be  waiting  for  1 "  wondered  Yoke- 
Moura  ;  "why  do  they  pause  in  their  forward  movement  ]  " 

The  leaders  ran  to  the  flanks  of  the  various  battalions. 
Strange  agitation  prevailed  in  the  ranks  ;  evidently 
something  new  had  occurred.  They  hesitated ;  they  were 
making  plans.  All  at  once  the  whole  army  wavered, 
faced  about,  and  retracing  their  steps,  re-entered  the 
city. 

"  What  does  that  mean?"  cried  Yoke-Moura,  amazed, 
and  pale  with  rage.  *'  What  sudden  madness  has  seized 
upon  them  1  It  is  a  mockery  !  Are  they  cowards  1 " 

The  soldiers  of  Hieyas  then  advanced  across  the  plain 
abandoned  by  Fide-Yori.  At  the  same  moment  Yoke- 
Moura's  men  gave  the  alarm.  They  were  attacked  on 
two  sides  at  once. 

"  It  is  well,"  said  Yoke-Moura ;  "  all  is  now  lost." 

He  summoned  his  young  son,  Daiske. 

"  My  son,"  said  he,  "  return  to  the  city ;  rejoin  the  Sho- 
gun, and  say  to  him  that  nothing  is  left  for  me  now  but 


THE    USURPER.  359 

to  die  a  glorious  death  for  him,  as  I  intend  to  do  before 
evening.  Remain  with  the  master  while  he  lives,  and 
die  with  him." 

"  Father,"  said  Daiske,  casting  an  imploring  look  at  the 
General,  "  I  would  rather  die  with  you." 

"  Do  as  I  bid  you,  my  son,"  said  Yoke-Moura,  his  voice 
trembling  slightly. 

A  tear  rolled  down  the  boy's  cheek ;  but  he  made  no 
answer,  and  went.  The  General  watched  him  for  an  in- 
stant as  he  descended  the  hill,  sighed,  and  then  plunged 
abruptly  into  the  thick  of  the  fight. 

Without  resistance,  without  exchanging  one  shaft  with 
the  enemy,  the  Shogun's  army  had  returned  to  the  city 
in  disorder  !  The  people  could  not  believe  their  own  eyes. 
What  had  happened  1  Why  should  rout  precede  the  bat- 
tle 1  This  is  what  really  occurred  :  Harounaga,  suddenly 
abandoning  the  position  which  he  held  on  the  hill, 
hastened  towards  Fide-Yori,  accompanied  by  a  man  com- 
ing from  the  camp  of  Hieyas.  This  man,  who  was  a 
relative  of  Hieyas,  declared  that  the  majority  of  the  army 
had  gone  over  to  Hieyas,  and  that  when  the  fight  began 
Fide-Yori  would  be  hemmed  in  and  taken  prisoner  by  his 
own  men.  He  said  that  he  had  surprised  this  secret,  and 
hastened  to  warn  the  Shogun,  to  prevent  his  falling  into 
an  odious  trap. 

"  Return  to  the  fortress,"  said  he  to  Fide-Yori.  "  In 
the  shelter  of  its  ramparts  you  may  defend  yourself  still, 
and  die  nobly  ;  while  here  you  are  at  the  victor's  mercy." 

After  some  hesitation  the  troops  returned  to  the  city. 
This  tale  of  treachery  was  completely  false  :  it  was  an 
act  of  perfidy  planned  by  Hieyas,  who,  although  he  was 
strong,  did  not  disdain  to  employ  a  ruse.  But  the  people 
refused  to  accept  the  plea;  the  retreat  of  the  soldiers 
produced  a  fatal  effect. 


360  THE   USURPER. 

"  They  don't  know  how  to  behave !  "  was  the  cry. 

"  They  are  lost ;  all  is  ended  !  " 

"  After  all,  it 's  no  concern  of  oui'S." 

Half  the  citizens  began  to  desire  the  accession  of 
Hieyas. 

The  Shogun  had  no  sooner  returned  to  his  castle,  than 
the  hostile  army  attacked  the  outskirts  of  the  city.  The 
inhabitants  shut  themselves  up  in  their  houses.  A  ter- 
rible conflict  ensued ;  the  ground  was  defended  inch  by 
inch,  and  yet  the  enemy  advanced.  They  fought  in 
the  narrow  streets,  on  the  brink  of  the  canals,  upon  whose 
waves,  red  with  blood,  dead  bodies  rocked  to  and  fro  : 
every  bridge  was  carried  after  a  desperate  struggle.  Lit- 
tle by  little,  Fide-Yori's  troops  were  driven  back  towards 
the  fortress. 

Inside  the  castle  the  confusion  was  great.  No  one 
thought  of  defending  the  outer  wall ;  the  bastions  no 
longer  existed ;  the  moat  had  not  been  re-dug  to  a 
depth  of  more  than  two  feet.  All  withdrew  into  the 
second  enclosure ;  but  there  they  were  too  remote  to  offer 
any  aid  to  those  who  fought.  The  latter,  after  three 
hours  of  struggle,  were  repulsed  to  the  walls  of  the  castle  ; 
they  invaded  the  first  courtyard,  and  shouted  to  those 
within  to  open  the  second,  otherwise  they  must  be 
crushed  against  the  walls. 

Yodogimi  cried  to  the  men  to  open  the  gates.  All  the 
doors  were  thrown  wide  at  once,  and  the  soldiers  rushed 
in.  But  the  enemy  were  at  their  heels ;  when  they  had 
passed,  the  doors  could  not  be  closed,  and  the  followers  of 
Hieyas  came  in  behind  them. 

Fide-Yori,  with  a  thousand  men,  had  taken  refuge  in  the 
third  courtyard  of  the  castle,  which  contained  the  great 
goldfish  tower,  the  residence  of  the  Shogun,  and  a  few 
palaces  of  the  most  noble  princes.  He  did  not  hope  to 


THE    USURPER.  361 

defend  himself,  but  merely  that  he  and  his  family  might 
not  be  captured  alive.  In  a  hall  of  his  palace,  drawn 
sword  in  hand,  between  his  mother  and  his  betrothed,  he 
gazed  through  the  open  window,  and  with  bowed  head 
listened  to  the  awful  clash  of  arms  behind  the  second 
wall.  Many  of  his  troops  surrendered.  The  man  whose 
duty  it  was  to  guard  the  gilded  gourds  of  Taiko-Sama, 
whose  name  was  Tsou-Gawa,  burned  them  outside  the 
palace,  before  the  eyes  of  Fide-Yori. 

"  All  is  over  !  "  murmured  the  Shogun.  "  0  you  who 
are  dearest  in  all  the  world  to  me,  you  must  die  for  me 
and  with  me !  I  must  take  your  life  to  save  you  from 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  victors  alive." 

He  looked  at  his  naked  blade ;  then  raised  his  eyes  to 
his  mother  and  sweet  Omiti  with  a  bewildered  air.  "  Is 
there  no  way  to  save  them  1 "  he  cried  ;  "  to  let  them 
live  1  What  does  it  matter  to  the  victor,  so  I  but  die  !  " 

"  Live  without  you  !  "  said  Omiti,  in  a  tone  of  reproach. 

Both  women  were  pale,  but  calm. 

"  No,  it  is  impossible !  "  suddenly  exclaimed  the  Sho- 
gun. "  I  cannot  see  their  blood  flow ;  I  cannot  see  them 
die ;  let  me  be  the  first  to  expire  !  " 


362  THE   USURPER. 


CHAPTEE  XXXI. 

THE    FUNERAL    PILE. 

°ne  shall  die !  "  suddenly  shouted  a  voice,  as 
Fide-Yori  turned  his  blade  against  himself. 

The  Prince  of  Nagato  appeared  on  the  threshold ;  Loo 
stood  beside  him. 

"  Oh,  my  brother  !  "  cried  the  Shogun,  rushing  towards 
him,  "  I  did  not  hope  to  see  you  again." 

"I  knew  that  victory  was  impossible,"  said  Nagato, 
"and  I  was  busy  preparing  means  for  your  escape  when 
your  final  effort  should  fail.  You  are  the  sole  offshoot 
of  your  race ;  you  are  vanquished  now ;  but  later  your 
dynasty  may  flourish." 

"  Ib  it  really  in  your  power  to  save  us  1 "  said  the 
Shogun. 

"  Yes,  master,"  said  Iwakura.  "  A  boat  awaits  you  on 
the  shores  of  the  Yedogawa ;  it  is  manned  by  Raiden,  a 
brave  sailor,  whose  loyalty  I  know.  He  will  take  you  out 
to  sea.  There  a  large  junk,  belonging  to  the  Prince  of 
Satsuma,  lies  at  anchor  ready  to  receive  you.  As  soon 
as  you  embark  in  her  she  will  set  sail  for  the  Island 
of  Kiu-Shiu.  The  lord  of  Satsuma,  the  most  powerful 
prince  of  your  kingdom,  the  most  faithful  of  your  sub- 
jects, will  open  his  province  and  his  castle  to  you ;  there 
you  may  live  happily  with  the  wife  of  your  choice  until 
the  day  of  vengeance  dawns." 


THE    USURPER,  363 

"  I  recognize  your  untiring  devotion,"  said  the  Shogun, 
his  eyes  dim  with  tears.  "  But  how  can  I  leave  the 
castle,  —  how  pass  through  the  frenzied  hordes  which 
surround  it,  —  without  being  massacred  1 " 

"  You  will  leave  as  I  entered,"  said  the  Prince,  "  undis- 
turbed by  any  one.  If  you  will  follow  me  to  my  pal- 
ace," he  added,  bowing  low  to  the  two  princesses,  "  I  will 
show  you  the  road  that  you  must  take  to  quit  the 
fortress." 

"  Prince,"  said  Yodogimi,  "  jour  generosity  fills  me 
with  confusion ;  I,  who  have  so  often  striven  .to  injure 
you,  now  see  how  unjust  and  blind  I  was.  Tell  me  that 
you  pardon  my  past  errors,  or  I  cannot  submit  to  be 
saved  by  you." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  forgive,  Princess,"  said  Nagato ;  "  it 
is  I  who  am  guilty  of  the  boundless  misfortune  to  have 
displeased  you." 

"  Come,  let  us  begone,"  said  the  Shogun,  "  you  can 
explain  yourselves  later." 

They  left  the  hall ;  Loo  walked  before. 

In  the  outer  court  of  the  palace  the  insignia  of  Taiko- 
Sama  still  burned,  forming  a  mass  of  smouldering  coals. 
As  he  passed  them,  Fide-Yori  turned  away  his  head. 
They  reached  the  Prince  of  Nagato's  dwelling,  and  en- 
tered his  chamber.  The  trap-door  leading  to  the  sub- 
terranean path  by  which  the  brave  Sado  was  wont  to 
gain  admittance  to  the  palace  was  open. 

"  This  is  the  way,"  said  he  ;  "  it  leads  to  a  fisherman's 
hut  on  the  banks  of  the  Yedogawa.  There  Raiden 
awaits  you  with  the  boat.  Go ;  Loo  will  guide  you 
through  this  underground  road." 

"  What ! "  cried  Fide-Yori,  "  will  you  not  go  with  us  1 " 

"  No,  master,  I  remain  here  ;  I  have  work  yet  to  do." 

"  Are  you  mad  1     To  linger  in  this  palace,  which  will 


364  THE    USURPER. 

soon  be  entirely  overrun  !  What  have  you  yet  to  do  1 
You  will  be  unable  to  escape." 

"  Do  not  be  anxious  about  me,"  said  Iwakura,  with  a 
strange  smile ;  "  I  shall  escape,  I  promise  you." 

"  Iwakura  !  "  cried  the  Shogun,  gazing  at  his  friend  in 
alarm,  "  you  mean  to  die  !  I  understand  you  ;  but  I  will 
not  accept  safety  at  such  a  price.  I  am  master  still,  am 
I  not  ?  Very  well ;  I  command  you  to  follow  me." 

"  My  beloved  lord,"  said  Nagato,  in  a  firm  voice,  "  if  it 
be  true  that  I  have  served  you  loyally,  do  not  refuse  me 
the  first  favor  that  I  ask,  —  do  not  order  me  to  leave  this 
palace." 

"I  do  not  order,  friend,  I  conjure  you  not  to  rob  me 
of  a  companion  such  as  you ;  I  entreat  you  to  fly  with 
us." 

"  I  join  my  supplications  to  those  of  my  son,"  said 
Yodogimi ;  "  do  not  send  us  forth  with  sorrow  in  our 
hearts." 

"  Illustrious  Prince,"  said  Omiti,  in  her  sweet,  shy 
tones,  "  it  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  spoken  to  you  ; 
but  I  too  would  venture  to  entreat  you  not  to  persist  in 
your  cruel  resolution." 

Loo  fell  upon  his  knees.  "  Master ! "  he  cried  ;  but 
he  could  say  no  more,  and  burst  into  tears. 

"  I  recommend  this  boy  to  you,"  said  Nagato. 

"  Then  you  are  deaf  to  our  prayers  ? "  said  the  Shogun. 
"  Can  nothing  that  we  say  move  you  1 " 

"  If  she  were  lost  to  you,"  said  the  Prince,  turning  to 
Omiti,  "  could  you  consent  to  live  ?  Oh,  cannot  you,  to 
whom  I  have  confided  the  dread  secret  of  my  life,  under- 
stand how  painful  my  existence  is  ?  Do  you  not  see  the 
ioy  that  sparkles  in  my  eyes,  now  that  I  approach  the 
end  of  my  sufferings  1  Had  I  been  unable  to  serve  you, 
I  should  long  since  have  ended  the  torment  of  life.  You 


THE   USURPER.  365 

are  not  victorious,  as  I  would  wish  to  see  you  ;  but  I 
behold  you  in  some  safe  retreat,  full  of  flowers,  joy,  and 
love.  You  will  be  happy,  if  not  powerful ;  you  need  me 
no  longer.  I  am  free  ;  I  can  die." 

"  Ah,  cruel  friend  !"  said  Fide-Yori, ."  I  see  that  your 
resolve  is  irrevocable." 

"  Make  haste ! "  said  the  Prince ;  "  you  have  delayed 
too  long.  Eeach  the  shore ;  Raiden  will  conceal  you 
under  the  sail  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat ;  then  he  will 
take  the  oars.  Loo  will  hold  the  helm." 

"  No,  no ! "  shrieked  the  boy,  clinging  fast  to  his 
master's  dress,  "  I  cannot  go ;  I  will  die  with  yon." 

"  Obedience  is  a  good  servant's  first  duty,  Loo," 
said  the  Prince,  gently.  "  I  command  you  henceforth 
to  obey  the  master  of  us  both,  and  to  serve  him  unto 
death." 

Loo  flung  himself,  sobbing,  down  the  dark  stairs  of  the 
underground  passage.  The  two  women  followed  him ;  then 
the  Shogun  descended  in  his  turn. 

"  Farewell !  farewell !  my  friend,  my  brother !  noblest, 
best,  most  faithful  of  my  subjects ! "  he  exclaimed,  his 
tears  flowing  fast. 

"  Farewell,  illustrious  friend  !  "  said  the  Prince  ;  "  may 
yonr  happiness  last  as  long  as  your  life  ! " 

He  then  closed  the  trap-door.  At  last  he  was  alone. 
Then  he  returned  to  the  courtyard  of  the  palace;  and 
taking  a  burning  brand  from  the  still  smouldering  brazier, 
set  fire  to  all  the  princely  pavilions  and  to  Fide-Yori's  pal- 
ace, going  through  every  room.  Then  he  reached  the  gold- 
fish tower,  and  kindled  a  conflagration  on  every  floor. 
At  the  top  he  flung  away  his  brand,  and  leaned  upon  the 
red  lacquer  railing  of  the  platform,  which  was  surmounted 
by  a  broad  roof  turned  up  at  the  corners  and  supported 
by  four  substantial  pillars. 


366  THE    USURPER. 

The  Prince  gazed  towards  the  sea.  The  little  boat 
was  already  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yedogawa.  Alone 
upon  the  water,  it  seemed  to  attract  the  attention  of  the 
victorious  soldiers  encamped  upon  the  beach ;  but  Raiden 
the  fisher  cast  his  net,  and  the  reassured  soldiers  allowed 
the  boat  to  pass.  In  the  offing  the  Prince  of  Satsuma's 
junk  formed  a  tiny  dark  spot  against  the  purple  of  the 
setting  sun.  The  atmosphere  was  incomparably  clear; 
the  sea  seemed  like  a  huge  turquoise. 

The  shouts  of  the  soldiers  were  heard  around  the 
castle. 

"  Fide-Yori  has  set  fire  to  the  palace  ;  he  will  perish  in 
the  flames,"  they  yelled. 

Those  who  were  still  within  the  shelter  of  the  third 
courtyard  opened  the  doors  and  rushed  out ;  they  sur- 
rendered. Besides,  the  battle  had  ceased ;  the  Usurper 
was  at  the  gate  of  the  fortress.  The  spectators  knelt 
as  he  passed ;  he  was  greeted  with  cheers,  and  pro- 
claimed the  sole  and  legitimate  Shogun.  This  was  on 
the  second  day  of  the  sixth  moon  of  the  first  year  of 
Nengo-Gen-Va. 1 

From  the  summit  of  the  tower  the  Prince  of  Nagato 
saw  the  litter  in  which  Hieyas  lay ;  he  heard  the  tri- 
umphant clamor  which  hailed  him. 

"  Glory  and  royal  power  are  nothing  in  comparison 
with  happy  love,"  he  murmured,  turning  back  to  look  at 
the  boat  which  held  his  friends. 

It  was  out  at  sea  now,  out  of  reach  of  the  soldiers ; 
the  sail  was  set,  and  the  boat  skimmed  swiftly  over  the 
waves. 

"  They  are  safe,"  said  the  Prince. 

Then  he  turned  his  eyes  in  another  direction,  towards 
Kioto  and  Naikou.  He  saw  the  beginning  of  the  road 
1  June  2,  1615. 


THE    USURPER.  367 

that  leads  to  the  sacred  city,  which  he  had  travelled 
so  often ;  he  saw  the  coast  outlined  against  the  azure 
sea,  and  stretching  away  till  it  was  lost  in  the  distance, 
towards  the  province  where  the  ancient  temple  of  Ten- 
Sio-Dai-Tsin  stands.  He  seemed  longing  to  distinguish, 
across  the  distance,  the  form  of  her  whom  he  was  never 
to  see  again. 

The  sun  disappeared  ;  the  glare  of  the  conflagration 
began  to  overpower  the  light  of  day.  The  palace  of  the 
Shoguu,  at  the  foot  of  the  tower,  was  a  vast  furnace, 
which,  seen  from  above,  appeared  like  a  lake  of  fire 
tossed  by  a  tempest.  The  flames  surged  and  seethed, 
and  reared  lofty  crests,  like  waves  in  a  storm.  Now  and 
then  a  cloud  of  red  smoke  passed  before  the  Prince's 
eyes,  obscuring  the  horizon.  The  entire  tower  was  burn- 
ing; a  fearful  roar,  mingled  with  a  continual  crackling 
sound,  filled  its  walls.  The  topmost  platform,  however, 
was  not  yet  kindled,  but  already  the  floor  cracked  and 
shook.  A  jet  of  flame  leaped  up  and  touched  the  edge  of 
the  roof. 

"  Come,  liberating  fire  !  "  cried  the  Prince  ;  "  come  and 
allay  the  devouring  fires  of  my  soul !  Extinguish,  if  you 
can,  the  inextinguishable  flame  of  my  love." 

He  took  from  his  bosom  a  crumpled  paper,  and  un- 
folding it,  raised  it  to  his  lips ;  then  read  it  for  the  last 
time  by  the  lurid  light  of  the  conflagration. 

"One  day  these  flowers  hung  their  heads  to  die.  They  let  fall 
their  luminous  soul  like  a  diamond.  Then  the  two  drops  of  dew 
met  at  last,  and  were  mingled  in  the  stream." 

The  heat  was  intolerable.  The  paper  suddenly  blazed 
up  in  the  Prince's  fingers.  He  gasped  for  breath ;  he 
felt  that  he  was  dying. 

"  My  beloved,"  he  cried,  "  I  go  before  !  Do  not  make 
me  wait  too  long  at  the  tryst ! " 


368  THE    USURPER. 

Like  the  huge  petals  of  a  fiery  flower,  the  flames  shut 
in  the  last  floor  ;  they  spread  to  the  roof.  Tlie  two  mon- 
strous goldfish  writhed  on  the  ridge-pole  as  if  suddenly 
endowed  with  life  ;  then  they  melted,  and  flowed  down  in 
two  incandescent  streams.  Soon  the  entire  edifice  fell  in 
with  a  terrible  crash,  and  an  immense  sheaf  of  sparks  and 
flame  streamed  up  to  heaven. 


University  Press,  Cambridge:  John  Wilson  &  Son. 


QOI  rrur .nUnlvers'ty  of  California 

Refurn  ^  UBRARY  FAC"-'TY 

" 

h  it  was  borrowed. 


